Supernatural Shrabbles
by zz5
Summary: This is a collection of my Supernatural one-shots and drabbles! Story 33: Happily Ever Angel – A happy ending where they stay together forever :) Drabble! SpoilerWarningEp14x19! Words: 70
1. Best Birthday Ever

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural**

 **Summary: Story 1: Best Birthday Ever - Read on to find out how Dean celebrated his 9th birthday! Wee!chester, Hurt!John Words: 2,153**

 **Fun fact: For those who haven't figure it out, Shrabbles = one- SHots + dRABBLES \- and yes, I invented the word :)**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Best Birthday Ever

 _January 24th, 1988 Motel apartment_

It is Dean's birthday today. And it is yet another day in the crappy motel apartment, looking out for Sammy while waiting for John to come home(motel). Not that Dean is expecting him to be back for his birthday.

He always waits, and hope for John's speedy return whenever he went out on a hunt, because it would mean that John had survived, yet again.

John is a great hunter, the best one there is, as far as Dean's concern. And John always comes back. No matter if it's 1 day, 3 days, or a week, he will always return. Sometimes bloodied and hurt and completely messed up, but still, alive.

Dean totally understands if John forgets about his birthday, as he will need every last bit of his skill, and wit, and focus, to hunt whatever evil things that he has got his hands on. The most awesome birthday gift that Dean could receive will just be for John to come home - safe and sound.

Therefore, it doesn't matter if no one wishes him a "happy birthday" on January the 24th. It doesn't matter at all. Really.

And Sammy's too young to remember anyone's birthday. He doesn't even know the number of days in each month. Dean didn't see a need to remind him though, it's not like they were used to celebrating birthdays anyway. It's been a few years since either Dean or John had their birthdays celebrated. John had always been out on cases on those days. Not a coincidence, just probability - he got on cases almost every other day.

Last year, fortunately, Dean managed to get hold of some candles which he had stuck on top of a peanut butter jam sandwich for Sammy's birthday. Sam was greatly amused by the small flickering flames and Dean's unflattering solo of the happy birthday song. He also seemed like he had understood when Dean tried to explain to him the concept of "birthday".

However, Dean is not a kid anymore. He has not been one since he was four - after his mother burned and died on the ceiling in Sam's nursery. And after today, he'll be nine. He does not care about birthdays nor cakes nor candles. In a few years' time, he will be strong and skilled enough to go on hunts, just like his Dad. Saving people, killing monsters, being a hero. Dean swells with pride when he thought about being like John, his Dad, and his hero. He can be John's back up, keep him safe, keep him alive. Just like what he has been doing with Sammy.

"Deean, when is Dad coming home?" Dean turns around to see Sam slouching on the sofa and gazing at him with a small frown on his face. The commercial had just come on the fuzzy tv.

"I don't know. Dad's busy Sam, he's working," Dean can't help but sound a little snappy as he repeated this line for not the first time tonight, nor the second.. or the third... It had been five days, though, since John went out to hunt. And five days (and nights), since Sam and Dean stepped out of this small, dull motel apartment. No wonder Sam is getting more and more spiritless.

"He's always working..." Sam huffed in discontent. Dean sighs. He's not wrong. But it's important what Dad's doing. He's saving lives out there from scary things that go bump at night.

"He'll be back soon. By tomorrow, promise," Dean lied to reassure Sam. Sam accepted the white lie with a small shrug of his little shoulders and returned his attention to the tv screen.

Dean, on the other hand, who is bored of both the tv and the faded wallpaper, tries to keep himself busy by other means. He folds the clothes and packs them away... and wipes the guns till they're shiny... Washes the dishes that were used during dinner... and stocks up the ammo in the weaponry bag... Time went by at an incredibly crawling speed. When it finally makes it to 11 pm, Sammy had long since dozed off in his seat and Dean had run out of things to do in the house. After turning off the tv, he pulls out a blanket to cover it over his little brother and then decides that he is ready for bed himself.

Just then, heavy footsteps sounded right outside the door. Dean is immediately on high alert, his hand reaches for the .45 inside the cupboard. There are 2 knocks on the door, follows by another 3, and then 2 knocks again. Dean's heart lifts right up as he unlocks the door and admits a tiny slit.

"Dad?" He blurted out excitedly as he peers through the gap.

"Yea, it's me..." John's exhausted voice matches his tired looks. Dean quickly stuffs the .45 back into the cupboard and unchains the door. John stumbles in and closes the door behind him. Dean immediately notices that something is wrong. John is bending forward while clutching his right side, his face white as sheet. Without warning, John wobbles unsteadily and Dean steps forward for John to lean onto him. As John regains his sense of balance, Dean pulls back his hand to review a handful of blood.

"Dad, you're hurt!" He cried out anxiously.

"m' alright, son... It's just a little cut," John managed a weak smile as he downplayed his injuries. "Where's Sammy?" He asked.

"Sleeping," Dean looked towards the living room sofa.

"Let's go inside then, quietly," John lowered his voice to keep from waking Sam to this unsightly scene.

John limps his way towards the only bedroom with Dean's support; drops his baggage on the bed; and head straight to the bathroom that is conveniently located inside the room. After making sure that John is sitting steadily on top the toilet bowl, Dean dashes out, only to come back with a first aid kit.

Meanwhile, John has gotten rid of his jacket and he pulls back his shirt to reveal a long deep gash. This is not the first time that Dean sees John being sliced open but he still let out a small gasp of horror at the "little cut".

"Get the alcohol in the fridge," John instructed and Dean runs to retrieve it. He also helps to pour them over the wound to disinfect it while John bites down on his jacket to keep from shouting out in pain.

"Arg...This will need stitches," John evaluated the serious wound. Dean immediately picks out the necessary tools from the kit and hands them over to John. With practiced movements, John begins sewing himself up while Dean watches closely at the side, learning. He'll have to master this skill soon so that he can treat his Dad if this happens again, which is more than likely.

It took longer than usual for John to close the wound as he is a little faint from all the blood loss and his hands were shaky. Finally, after pouring some more alcohol over the sealed cut and downing the rest, he is done fixing himself up. He tears his already-ruined shirt off his sweaty, bloody body and threw it into the trash bin. Then, he wipes off the dried blood around the cut with the wet towel that Dean has just passed him, while Dean cleans off those on his back. It had been a swift and quiet process where John gave short, clear-cut instructions and Dean follows through, without a single word.

After cleaning off most of the dirt and blood, Dean helps John onto the queen-size bed in the room, which is also the only proper bed they have. Usually, on days when John happens to be home, he will take up half of the bed while Dean and Sam share the other half. However, with John now weak and injured, Dean considerately decides to leave him the entire bed while he camps outside in the living room with Sammy.

"Dad, I'll sleep outside tonight, call me if you need anything," Dean told John. He is ready to head out to let John get some rest when John stopped him.

"Dean, wait, I almost forgot..." he said, while grabbing for a plastic bag among the baggage that he had brought back and dumped on the bed earlier on.

"Happy Birthday, son," he held out the plastic bag containing a single flimsy package. Dean was in complete shock as he took in the package with both hands. He stares down at the bag containing a small, transparent, plastic package, his mind went blank as he stood there in silence and stillness.

"You'll want to heat it up before eating, it is warm like half an hour ago. Anyway, you'd take pie over cake any day right?" John added when Dean had not spoken after receiving the gift.

Half an hour ago... That probably means John had gotten the pie on his way home - while having a long, deep slash on his right side... No wonder he seemed so pale. He had lost more blood than necessary if he had just come home straight in the impala without stopping for a cheap pie sold in a 24h gas station store...

"Thanks, Dad. Pie's perfect," Dean said gratefully as his eyes fill with tears when he realised the amount of effort John had to make for this very simple gift.

John nodded with a weak smile and lie more comfortably in his bed, his eyes barely opening as he settles for a long overdue sleep. Dean backs out of the room and softly shuts the bedroom door.

He carefully unwraps the packaging to see a slightly crushed pie inside. Smiling contentedly, he picks it up and put it in the microwave, to heat it up as John suggested.

"Dean? What are you doing?" Sammy's sleepy voice came from the living room sofa and Dean looks over to see Sam sitting up while wiping his drowsy eyes. Dean hastily dries the tears in his eyes.

"Hey, Sammy, you want some pie?" Dean offered generously.

Sam looks from the rotating microwave to the muddy footprints leading to the closed room door.

"Is Dad home?" His expression lightened up at once. For a 4-year-old-going-5, he sure is observant.

"Yup, I told you he'll be back soon," Dean beamed. "And let's stay out of the room for now. Dad's sleeping and he's really tired," Dean said quickly when Sam jumped down from the sofa and looked like he had wanted to check for himself if John is really home.

"Ok," Sam agreed easily. He walks over to the dining table instead, where Dean is waiting for his pie.

"Dad bought you pie? Did he get one for me too?" Sam asked after seeing the rotating pastry in the oven.

"There's only one. We can share it," Dean replied. "It's for my birthday," Dean explained, not wanting Sam to think that Dad had forgotten about him.

"Oh, it's your birth-day, Dean?" Sam lightened up instantly at the news. Dean takes out the heated pie from the microwave.

"Yea, it is. It's my ninth birthday," Dean said proudly. "Dig in," he passes a fork to Sam.

"Wait, but there are no candles on the pie. We should put nine candles on top right?" Sam inquired. Dean is surprised that Sam still remembers such detail when he had only ever celebrated birthday once, the year before. "I will sing the birthday song, then you can blow the candles," Sam said knowledgeably.

"You know how to sing the birthday song?" Dean asked incredulously.

"They sang it a few times - on tv," Sam replied, clearing Dean's doubts at once. "And the people on tv had birthday cakes," Sam eyed the small pastry on the plate.

"And I have birthday pie. I love pie," Dean said heartily. It is not just any pie too. This is the pie that Dad had brought, while wounded and bleeding, just for his birthday. "Also, we don't have candles in the house now but it's fine, I don't need them," Dean said dismissively.

Sam thinks about it for a second and leans forward to scratch out nine lines on the pie with his fork, counting aloud as he does so. "One, two, three, …, seven, eight, nine. There! Nine candles!" Sam declared delightedly.

"Thanks, Sammy," Dean grinned at him.

"I'll sing the song now," Sam announced.

"Ok, but sing it softly, Dad's sleeping," Dean reminded.

"Happy bir-thday to you~ Happy birthday to you~ … …"

The clock on the wall shows 5 minutes to midnight.

On the 24th January of 1988, with Dad safely home, birthday pie on the table (brought by Dad) and Sammy celebrating his birthday with him, Dean thought blissfully in his heart, that this may just be the _best birthday ever_.

~The End~

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! This is my 2nd Spn fanfic and 1st one-shot (1st fic being "Demon Dean - A Man (Demon) of His Words").  
I really enjoyed writing young Sam and young Dean - they are soo adorable! X)**

 **Writer's Random Rant:  
** **There's quite a number of people who thinks that John was a bad father to Sam and Dean (and Adam) and also portrayed him as such in a handful of fics (which I am totally ok with). But this fic shows my own interpretation of John based on the show and I feel that, although he had not exactly provide them with a good (and normal) childhood experience, he had really tried his best given the circumstances, and he really loves the boys~**


	2. Halloween Candies

**Summary: Story 2: Halloween Candies – One-shot! Wee!chester An episode of the Winchester sibling fight, nice and healthy. Words: 2,863**

 ** **Hal** loween Candies is inspired by 12x11 "Regarding Dean".**  
 ** _Dean: "_ _Look at his face. Oh! Kind of like that time I ate all your Halloween candy. You remember that? Classic."_**

 ** _In this story, Sam is 8 while Dean is 12._**

 ** _Rated: K+_**

* * *

Halloween Candies

Background: Sam happened to be at Bobby's place yesterday, on Halloween. Bobby suggested that he goes out for trick or treat. Sam was a little reluctant at first - worried that Dean will tease him for it if he knew, but he agreed easily after knowing that Dean had done it before too. Actually, Dean might still be willing to do it, if he wasn't helping Dad out tonight, just for the candies. Bobby had dressed him up in a simple Batman costume - cheap plastic mask and a dusty, grey cape (that is really an old towel). It was Sam's first experience with trick or treat and he had quite enjoyed it, especially the part where he earned himself a bag-full of Halloween candies for an evening of trick or treat.

* * *

It is a typical weekday afternoon. Sam had just finished school and, as reminded by Dad and Dean for about a million times, he is heading straight back to the motel apartment which Dad had rented - for a month this time round. Normally, Dean would have insisted that they go home together. But this time, the school is fairly close to their stay and Dean felt safe enough to return home first on days when his classes ended earlier.

Sam does the special knock and Dean unlocks the door for him to come through. After making sure that the door is locked nice and tight, Dean goes back to the living room and slumps down onto the sofa. He picks up the opened diary and continues from where he left off. Meanwhile, Sam heads towards the kitchen table and drops his school bag onto one of the chairs, giving a disgruntled sigh at the messy table, spread with pieces of notes and news about something - a hunt that Dad is on in this town. He is about to pull out his homework when he notices something amiss.

"Where are my candies?" Sam asked while lifting several papers and checking under the table.

"What candies?" Dean asked as he flips a page in Dad's diary.

"My Halloween candies! I left them right here!"

Dean looks up to see Sam pointing at somewhere on the kitchen table.

"Huh... Must have dropped them somewhere," Dean said "nonchalantly" and hastily return his attention to the diary.

... ...

"Dean...?"

Dean looks up to see Sam glaring at him with a dead look in his knowing eyes.

"What?"

"You ate my candies didn't you."

"No!" Dean replied defensively and Sam just stared at him sullenly.

Where did the tiny 8-year-old get all that sass from?!

"Fine, alright, I did eat them," Dean confessed what Sam already knew. However, upon hearing the confirmation, a look of hopeless devastation still fell upon him.

"They're just candies Sam, don't make a big fuss over nothing."

"You ate all of them?!" Sam interrogated, his tone rising in anger and incredulity.

"There weren't a lot to begin with! And I was hungry!"

"And you were a pig, you meant!"

"Just get them again next Halloween. Don't be such a baby about it," Dean retorted.

That had struck a chord. Sam has always been the youngest in the family and especially recently, he has gotten increasingly annoyed that Dad and Dean continue to treat him like some useless kid, side-lining him while they discuss hunting stuff and leaving him at Bobby's when they go investigating. Although Dad had not let Dean get into the real action yet, he had been helping out a lot behind the scene. Sam doesn't understand why he can't be allowed to do the same.

However, Sam did realise that from the earlier conversation, he sounded just like a whiny brat complaining about his missing Halloween candies. But, it is obviously Dean's fault in this case! It's not merely the sweets that Sam is angry over, it's about Dean being an ass. At least, that's what Sam told himself. Yet, it is true that anyone will be mad when their entire night of hard work is gone - just like that - because of an unrepentant guy with a bad attitude.

"Sammy - come on, don't turn your back on me," Dean said after Sam turned to walk towards the bedroom, away from Dean, but not before Dean caught the look on his face.

Sam didn't reply. Instead, he bangs the door shut behind him, creating a physical barrier between himself and Dean.

Dean groans in frustration – frustration directed internally at the self. Why did he banter with Sam when he knew that he was in the wrong? Why didn't he simply admit his mistake upfront and apologise like a decent human being/mature older brother? Why did he even eat those stupid candies in the first place?

It really wasn't intentional, though. Dean was looking through the news and notes lying around on the kitchen table in search of helpful information for the hunt, when he saw all those sweets lying there temptingly, within arm's reach, coming in all kinds of colours and flavours. He tried on one of them and it tasted so good. Unknowingly, while concentrating on the hunt-related notes, he finished the scatter of candies in a blink of an eye.

... Maybe he really is a pig, like Sam said...

Dean got up from the sofa and goes to stand in front of the bedroom door. He tries the knob but it is locked.

"Look, I'm sorry about your Halloween candies, alright."

"...Sammy?"

Dean wasn't even apologising for the main issue here.

On the other side of the door, Sam is lying sulkily on the bed. Although Sam had not intended to give Dean all the candies, he did want to share them with him, knowing how he would love those sweets but did not even had the chance to trick or treat. Sure, he is furious that Dean ate all his candies, but more than that, Dean had called him a baby, which he is not.

Dean waited for a few seconds but received only silence. Of course, he can pick the lock open in a matter of couple minutes, but Sam will probably be even more pissed off than he already is if he does so. In the end, Dean decided to give him some time alone to cool off.

The rest of the evening passes by without a single word being exchanged. Night time comes and Dean steps into the kitchen, finding himself half a packet of spaghetti and the remaining bottle of Bolognese sauce. It is just enough for 2, so he emptied all the noodles into a pot and heat up the sauce in the microwave. Dean is not particularly hungry (probably because of all those candies and guilt swimming around in his stomach), but he thought that Sammy must be. The kid hasn't eaten anything since afternoon, and Dean is pretty sure there is no food inside the room.

Dean sets up the dinner table, making it more refine than he usually would, with the pair of fork and spoon placed neatly on either side of the dish.

"Sammy, dinner's ready," Dean called out from right outside the room. No sound from the other side. Maybe Sam had fallen asleep?

"Sammy?" Dean gave two small knocks on the door.

Just then, as though in response to Dean's knocks, there are 3 knocks from the main door, followed by 2, then 3 again. Dean gives the bedroom door another look and then steps away from it to attend to the other door.

"I've found it. It has been the Johnsons this whole time..." John came through the door, already going on about the case on hand.

"Really?" Dean asked, interested.

"Yea, it's them since the very beginning... Are there any more of that? I'm starving," John noticed the plate of spaghetti on the kitchen table.

"Sure, take a seat," Dean went to fish out the rest of the spaghetti from the pot. While doing so, he hears a soft click of a door unlocking. He turns around with the bowl of noodles and sees Sam coming out of the room.

"Hey, Sammy," John spares him a glance and then returns to the notes on the table.

"Hi Dad," Sam replied emotionlessly. He goes to sit down at the kitchen table with John and begins twirling the spaghetti with his fork.

Dean places the bowl of noodles in front of John and then proceeds to pour the remaining Bolognese sauce over it, all the while observing Sam from the corner of his eye. Sam, conversely, fixes his eyes on the food and eats on obliviously.

John continues to discuss the hunt with Dean as he eats and Dean stands at the side of the table, arranging the pieces of paper idly to keep his hands busy while conversing with John.

Sam finished his food before John did. He washes his plate and utensils by the sink and left them out to dry. Afterwards, he goes over to his school bag that was left on the chair earlier on and pulls out his homework.

"I guess I'll make a visit tomorrow morning..." John was saying to Dean and then stopped for a moment to chew on his spaghetti.

"Sammy, you alright there?" John asked out of the blue.

Sam looks up from his school work to find both Dean and John eyeing him from across the table.

"I'm fine," Sam replied, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Dean.

"Hm, it's just... You've been quiet," John observed.

Typically, when John and Dean have hunting conversations in Sam's presence, he will be listening attentively at the side, asking endless questions, bombarding them with all his "whys", "whats" and "hows". But today, he has been unusually quiet and hasn't released a single question since John came home.

John then turns to Dean with a questioning look but Dean avoided his gaze, suddenly busy with the pieces of paper in his hands. Something is going on with the boys. John realises that but did not push for it, as neither seems to want to share. He contains the curiosity within him, reverting back to the hunting matter, which is the priority right now.

Dean arranges and rearranges the pieces of hunt's notes unnecessarily. He knew that Sam is not one to complain to Dad about their issues. Kids' conflict should just stay within the kids, no need to get adults involved. However, Dean still feels a little touched, and grateful, for Sam to not tell on him.

* * *

Days passed and none of them mentioned the fight ever since. Dean acts like nothing happened, treating Sam like how he usually does. Sam, however, is not as carefree about it, talking to Dean only when he asked him a straight question and always giving short, half-hearted replies in return.

Or maybe Dean is not exactly that indifferent about it either. He seems to be avoiding spending time with Sam these days - they haven't even had a single meal together since.

Moreover, Dad hasn't been home much again. He's at a critical stage in the hunt - the hands-on stage whereby he's at full power to seek out the evil thing and end it, after days of investigations and research. However, that also means it is only Sam and Dean in the apartment - alone, with no Dad as a buffer to the post-fight-no-make-up awkward situation. When John is home, Sam will dumb down on his silent treatment and acts more naturally towards Dean. Again, not wanting to get John involved.

* * *

Sam is walking back from school, returning for perhaps the last time to this motel apartment. John believes that he'll be able to finish up the hunt by tonight.

Sam gives the special knock and Dean opens it for him with a "Hey, Sammy", which he acknowledges with a jerking nod of his head, his gaze cast towards the floor, and then he goes to drop his bag on the usual chair. He pulls out his homework and put it on the kitchen table. It is at that moment when he sees them. Lying right next to his homework, is a small heap of candies. Sam freezes for a second at the unexpected scene.

"They're yours. I'm returning them to you, so you can stop being all mopey and grouchy already," Dean said in a mock irate tone.

"Where did you get these from?"

"Shops nearby - and no I did not steal them, I bought them with my own money."

"You don't have your own money, Dean," Sam raises an eyebrow.

"Dad gave me some for helping him out with this hunt," Dean said smoothly. "I was the one who made the link to the Johnson family, you know," Dean added proudly.

Dad awarded Dean money for helping out with the hunt? That's a lie right there. Sam knows that although John does give Dean some cash, it's only about enough for their 3 meals a day. Then, the points start to connect.

Dean always finding excuses to stay away during meal times - sleeping, cleaning, shopping, researching on the hunt... Sam had noticed, of course, but he did not bring it up, as he had been in the process of giving Dean the cold shoulder. As a matter of fact, he had not seen Dean eaten anything except plain crackers these few days, which were bought the week before.

"Dean! You don't have to starve yourself to buy me candies!" Sam exclaimed maddeningly.

"I'm just returning what I've taken -well, eaten- alright." And truly, he did. He even went through the trouble to get a variety of different types of confections, like the mixture of Sam's Halloween candies.

"Sammy, look..." Dean began, looking embarrassed, his hand reaches up unconsciously to scratch the side of his head. "I, er, I shouldn't have eaten all your sweets. I'm sorry. Really. It's not exactly the same as what you had," Dean gestured at the candies, "but it's close enough, right?" Dean said hopefully.

Sam peers up at Dean and he feels an uncomfortable squeeze in his heart when he sees the slightly slimmer contours of his brother's face. In this moment, he can't help but realises just how petty and childish he really was. So what Dean ate all of his sweets? So what he had called him a baby? He is still the best big brother anyone could ever have, despite being annoying at times. Sam nodded silently to Dean's query.

"So...we good?" Dean asked tentatively.

Sam takes a quick look at the table of candies and picks out the largest bar of chocolate among them.

"Ya, if you eat this first," Sam held out the bar and Dean took it in surprise.

"Thanks, Sammy," Dean smiled and Sam smiled back - the one-sided cold war has ended.

Suddenly, a familiar set of footsteps can be heard walking towards the door. The brothers exchange a look of alarm.

"Hide the candies!" Dean cried out in panic. The both of them look around the area anxiously and then in the nick of time, sweep the bunch off the table and into Sam's school bag. Neither thinks that Dad will be too thrilled to find out the food money has been translated to sweets.

Dean goes to open the door after taking a steadying breath to calm his sudden accelerated heart rate, while Sam pretends to watch tv.

"Dean, Sam, pack up, we're leaving," John said as he walks through the door.

* * *

John sits in the car as he watches the boys load their belongings into the trunk. He thought that they look a little stress and panicky while having some whispered conversation that is out of his earshot.

"... hide them inside the empty salt bag instead! They'll get crushed, I don't want my bag sticky..."

"No, are you crazy?! Dad will see if we take them out now..."

Their conversation is cut short when they open the car door and get into the back seat. John starts the car and drives off while the two continue to have their silent communication at the back. Through the rear view mirror, John sees Sammy with one hand around his school bag that is sitting on his lap and the other hand pin down on the car seat by Dean's hand. They also happen to be glaring at each other. The curiosity within john, from a few days ago, rekindled.

"Boys, is there anything going on between you two?"

"No, sir," the brothers instantly sat up straight in attention and replied in unison, Dean immediately letting go of Sammy's hand. They then turn to give each other a look of surprise and started sniggering at the same time.

"Ok... if you say so," John smiled to himself and accepted the very suspicious response without further grilling. After all, they seem to be on good terms again, so they've probably worked things out on their own.

* * *

With ACDC's "Back Seat Confidential" playing softly through it's stereo, a black impala leaves it's trail along the stretchy highway, bringing the 3 Winchesters towards the next phase of their journey.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Sidenote: I chose "Back Seat Confidential" because the title of the song fits the story, _NOT_ the lyrics – not trying to imply any Wincest here (obviously). Can't say I'm familiar with old rock songs (beside a few that were played on the show) so it's hard for me to find one that fits. And yes, it's not a suitable song to be played with children in the car, that's why I made it play softly instead of blasting out loud~ :P**

 **If anyone has any better alternatives, drop it in the comment and I'll be happy to change it:)  
(If there're more than one good suggestion I'll pick the one that I think best fit the story~)**


	3. Heart

**Summary: Story 3: Heart – Drabble! Angst! An extension from an early season's episode 2x17 "Heart". Words: 811**

 **Rough transcript of the end of 2x17 "Heart": Sam went into the room with a gun in his hand - to fulfil Madison's last request. Dean stood outside the room and hears the sound of a gun went off.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Heart

 ** _Sam_**

The blast of the gunshot went through Sam like an internal earthquake, shaking him to the core. He saw the lights went out of her eyes, though the smile remains. He caught her in his arms as she fell and he held on to her, as tight as he could, even though she's already gone. Tears continue to stream down his face the entire time. It has been awhile since he cried uncontrollably like this. He was devastated when Jess died, and then again with John. But it is different this time round when he has to be the one... The one to pull the trigger.

"Thank you. I love you." Those were the last words that she mouthed... Her last words ever...

Sam cannot see the peaceful look on her face as she lay in his arms, his eyes blur by the endless tears. His mind is blank as he just sits there limply, his heart consumed by grief.

 ** _Dean_**

The sound of gunshots is not something unfamiliar to Dean Winchester. But this time, it has made him flinched. He feels cold to the bone as he thought about what the sound had meant. Another silent tear fell from his eye, following the trail of the first.

At this moment, he wasn't thinking about what this whole incident implied - about him and Sam. Just the pain that Sam is feeling is enough to stir up a wave of his own.

He froze, stationary on the spot for a full minute, but Sam did not return from the room. He wipes away the tear across his cheek and takes a step towards the room - his brother needs him now.

 ** _Sam & Dean_**

Dean walks into the room and as he had feared, Sam is crumbled on the floor, sobbing over his dead lover.

"Sam we have to go." He tried to say. But his voice got lost in his throat.

"Sam, we have to go. The police will be here any second..." He succeeded on the second try.

Sam didn't budge. He couldn't. He heard Dean talking but couldn't make sense of the words. Some part of him knows, he cannot stay this way much longer. But he can't find the strength, nor the will, to get up.

Assessing Sam's current condition, Dean decides he requires some help.

"Come on Sammy... I got you..." Dean crouched down and threw one of Sam's arm across his neck and heaves him up from the floor, prying him away from the lifeless body.

Dean practically carried him out of the house as Sam was completely wasted. He tucks him into the front passenger seat before rushing to the driver seat and stepping down hard on the accelerator, speeding away from this ill-fated town.

It was quiet inside the impala as Dean had not turned on the music. He noticed when the heavy breathing of Sam eventually quietened and became evener.

"I know why you couldn't do it, Dean," Sam said all of a sudden, his voice raspy and emotionless.

Dean glances sideways at Sam and sees him staring down at his hands - covered in dried blood, with a dead look in his eyes. And he knew Sam was referring to that time when Meg had possessed him.

"I'm sorry I even asked. You won't have to do it anymore, Dean. I will do it myself, if the yellow-eye demon tries to change me," Sam continued calmly.

"Ok, that's it." Dean has heard enough. He pulls the car to a stop at the side of the empty highway.

"Sam, back there with Madison… You did not kill her, alright. You saved her. That was the only way and that was what she wanted. But your case is different... Hey! Listen to me!" Dean grabbed the front collar of Sam's shirt and forced him to face him as he speaks.

"Whatever evil plan they have for you, I will find it. And I swear to God I will save you... Sam, listen!" Dean gave him a little shake as Sam made to turn away.

"I will save you if that's the last thing I'll do. You hear me?" Sam did not answer as he avoided Dean's eyes, his face voids of emotion.

"Sam Winchester! You hear me?" Dean shook him again, this time more roughly than before. His voice shook a little too, which caused Sam to finally look him in the eyes.

Sam sees the firm conviction in Dean's eyes, and the angry tears that he is holding back.

"Yes..." he whispered, as he holds back new tears of his own...

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Hi! This is my first drabble, inspired by the "Heart" episode.**

 **I recently got my mum to watch Supernatural (bravo to me) and she was at this heart-breaking episode a few days ago, which I happened to be around for the last few minutes. Sam's and Dean's expressions at the end there really got to me. Again. :(**

 **She just finished Season 2 as I wrote the last line of this drabble~ "We got work to do." Classic! XD**

 **My next post will probably be in May, after finals. I got work to do... Lots.** **›‹**


	4. One Soul for One Wish

**Summary:** **Story 4: One Soul for One Wish -** **Tag: 11x17 Red Meat** **What if Dean looked for Crowley instead of Billy when he thought that Sam was dead? Words: 1,315**

 **Side Note: I know Crowley is in hiding from Lucifer in this part of season 11 but, for the sake of this story, let's just assume that he is not ~**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

One Soul for One Wish

Dean is sitting on a hospital bed. He was dragged back onto the bed after attempting (thrice) to leave the hospital without the doctor's consent. He would have fought his way out anyway if he is in any condition to do so. Unfortunately, his injuries are severe enough that even the female doctor was able to single-handedly push him back to bed. The broken ribs and heavy concussion had prevented him to even walk straight, let alone escape the hospital unnoticed. He decided to stay put after she threatened to drug him into sleep. He can't afford to sleep – not now, not when Sam is…

He needs to get him back. And he will need help to do so. The first person (angel) that comes to his mind is Castiel, who had resurrected both Sam and Dean from the underworld before. But Cas…is not Cas now, with Lucifer driving his vessel… Another problem for Dean…but he will deal with that later, he can't think of anything else right now.

Who else can he ask for help then? Who else is powerful enough? Who in this world is able to resurrect the dead?

And the answer comes to Dean with a wham. Crowley.

He whips out his phone in his pocket and frantically put the King of Hell on dial.

"Come on…come on… Pick up the phone, Crowley!" Dean muttered impatiently as the phone continues to ring. Then, the ringing cut off after a while and Crowley's recorded voice sounded, asking to leave him a voicemail.

"Crowley. It's Dean. I'm at Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in Grangeville, Ohio, inside a hospital call Cottonwood - Urgent Care. Sam…Sam is dead. I need to see you. Now," and Dean ended the voicemail. The doctor comes in then, for a bit of routine check-up. Afterward, Dean called Crowley a few more times, to no avail.

"Crowley, damn it, pick up the freaking phone!" Dean is on the verge of insanity as he sits there on the hospital bed, unable to move while knowing that his brother is lying on the cold, hard floor of the cabin in the woods.

"Hello, Dean." Dean looks up to find Crowley standing at the feet of his bed. "I received your voicemail. I'm under the impression that you invited me to a moose funeral? I even dressed up especially," Crowley said frivolously, dressing in his usual black.

"Crowley…" Dean made to stand up but stopped and fell back to his bed when his head gives a violent throb.

"Sit still, Squirrel, you look horrible. I don't want any squirrel sick on me, I just had this dry-cleaned," Crowley carelessly dusted his suit with a free hand.

Dean heeded his suggestion but sat up straighter as he asked in all seriousness: "Can you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Bring him back," Dean growled. Crowley peered into Dean's frantic eyes before answering.

"Of course," he replied simply.

"Great, then do it now. He's…"

"Dean, you know the rules. One soul for one wish," Crowley reminded him. Dean turns silent and stared blankly at Crowley.

"Considering the history that we've had, I'll throw in some extra perks. I've ordered some new racks recently and I'll save one for you, shall I? Save you the stink of those old racks that are filled with the blood and sweat and rotting flesh by millions before you. Not pleasant. Not hygienic at all…" Crowley blabbered on, bringing back the horror and monstrosity of Dean's memory of hell.

"No. I've learned my lesson the first time round. Bring him back. No deal," Dean demanded heatedly.

"I can't do that," Crowley said.

"Can't? Or won't!? You are the King of Crossroad! The King of Hell!" Dean bellowed.

"I can't," Crowley repeated. "It's Hell, Dean, not North Korea. No one's above the law," Crowley explained humorously.

"Fine, I got it," Dean nodded agitatedly. As adrenaline surges through, another idea came to his mind. "Ok. What about this. We deal now and you return me my soul once Sam is back, just like what you did with Bobby," Dean proposed.

"Now, aren't you the smart one," Crowley commended, a smirk spreading across his face. "But. Do you really trust that I'll return you your soul once I pull Sam upside?" Crowley asked slyly.

Dean did not answer right away. His concussion is not helping him think straight either. By all sensibilities, Dean should not trust Crowley and especially Crowley – the King of lies and deception; the shrewd, cunning, selfish crossroad demon that has risen to become the King of Hell. But somehow, for whatever twisted reason, he does. There is a part of Dean that truly believes, Crowley will keep his promise and return him his soul. And that is just wrong.

Crowley watches the conflicted emotions flashing across Dean's face with great amusement.

"Also, even if I can do that, why in the world would I? Because we are such great buddies?" Crowley added sarcastically. And indeed, Dean knows that there are probably more reasons and more benefits for Crowley to keep their souls in his pocket. He has no reason to save Sam unless Dean offer him something in return - his soul. Dean knows from experience that demon deal is a no-no. But right now, he's the only one that can. And Dean is seriously, absolutely at wits end.

"Please… Just…save him," Dean begged openly with tears in his eyes.

"You're breaking my heart, Dean," Crowley said carelessly. "1 year. Just for you. Deal? Or no deal?" Crowley prompted.

Dean fell silent again and Crowley can see that the internal struggle is real as he considers his options. Truly, this whole episode is just too much fun – for Crowley.

After he received the voicemail from Dean, and before he made his way to the hospital, Crowley had found Sam back in the cabin inside the forest - wounded, but very much alive. He knew, from the very beginning, that Dean had been mistaken about Sam's "life status". And what is more fun than Squirrel-Dean when he is desperate and distressed? Crowley couldn't possibly let this chance slip by. No way. But as Dean struggles over the bogus deal proposal, Crowley decides that his play time is up and its time he gets back to his mundane work as the supreme leader of the underworld.

"Alright, fun's over. I'm a busy man - demon. Bye, Dean, don't miss me too much," Crowley said.

"No…wait!..." Dean shouted.

"Sam is alive, you dumbass," Crowley finally revealed.

"What?" Dean has a look of total confusion.

"Sam Winchester is not dead," Crowley articulated each syllable as clear as bell. "He was just knocked out."

Dean still look a little dazed, with disbelief written all over his face. Right then, Dean's phone rings – it's Sam. Dean's eyes lit up at once and he couldn't get the phone to his ear fast enough.

"Sam?!" He almost yelled into the phone. Crowley can see the exact moment when the fear and worries are replaced by relief as Sam's voice sounded from the other side of the phone.

"Ok…I got it… See you soon," Dean said before ending the call and he let out a huge sigh of relief.

"I told you so," Crowley said annoyingly.

"You knew he was alive," Dean's eyes flashed accusingly towards Crowley. "You knew it since the beginning!"

"Yup," Crowley admitted unashamedly.

"You were messing with me this whole time?!" Dean roared.

"Imagine the look on your face," Crowley replied cheerily.

"You son of a bitch!"

"Son of a witch," Crowley corrected him and he raises his hand, ready to snap himself away before Dean stops him.

"Wait!" Dean exclaimed, stopping him in mid-snap. He looks uncomfortably to the side as he requested in a softer voice: "Don't tell Sam about this."

"A secret. That's cute."

"I mean it," Dean growled.

Crowley smirked at the irritable Dean.

"One soul for one wish," he reminded before vanishing into thin air.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Crowley really had too much fun tormenting Dean over here XD**

 **It's always been a challenge for me to write Crowley but I hope I've done him justice in this story~**

 **Fun Fact: The original title that I have for this one-shot was "I Thought You Were Dead". But I changed it to "One Soul for One Wish" after finishing the whole story as it seems much more fitting~**


	5. Babysitting Dangers

**Summary: Story 5: Babysitting Dangers - A short au drabble where Cas "babysits" Sam and Dean (who kinda want to kill each other). Demon!Dean, Soulless!Sam Words: 519**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

Babysitting Dangers

Sam and Dean sit face-to-face in an abandoned warehouse - both tied up to a chair. The only difference being that Dean has got an additional feature, that is a devil's trap.

"Cas, let me go," Sam requested.

"Cas, release me before I slice you into some Angel Food mozzarella," Dean threatened.

Castiel stands in between the two with a deep frown that seems permanently etched into his face.

"Cas, listen. He is a demon, stamped with the Mark of Cain. Even if the cure works, he's going to keep killing, there's no stopping it, you know that! We have to kill him now when we've got the chance and make sure he doesn't come back this time round," Sam analysed with a cold, hard truth to his reasoning.

"Kill me? Why, cause I'm a monster? Why don't you take a look at the mirror yourself, you soulless freak! You ain't much more human than I am, Sam. Actually, you aren't even Sam! Bang up job you did there, Cas, raising a soulless freak with all the functions of a killer machine! What are you trying to do? Terminator 4?" Dean countered sarcastically.

"Shut up!" Castiel yelled at them before taking in a deep breath and strides right out of the run-down warehouse – he needs to get some air. It does take some getting used to, that both the Winchester brothers are so ready to kill each other when the Sam and Dean that Cas knew were the complete opposite.

Cas has been their friend for quite some time now and he had witness first-hand, just how much the two of them means to one another. They would go through hell for each other – literally. But now, they won't even bat an eyelid if they are to send the other to hell with their own hands. Cas knows that they are not really _them_ right now, but still…

Castiel let out another deep, weary sigh before returning to his babysitting duties. As he opens the warehouse door, the sight before him sends a chill down his spine. Somehow, Sam and Dean managed to escape from their restraints and is currently at each other's' throat. Sam had the demon knife with him while Dean is empty-handed as Cas had took away the First Blade from him at first chance. However, Dean is a demon, with all the usual demon perks like superhuman strength. Luckily, the devil's trap has help to "tone down" his demon powers so for now, it looks like they are evenly matched.

"No…" Castiel uttered in horror as he rushes forward to get in between the two.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Cas bellowed, his eyes glowed with a piercing blue and the whole warehouse is engulfed in bright, white light for a full two seconds.

After the blinding light disappears, Castiel is the only one left standing while both Sam and Dean lay senseless on the dusty floor.

"Perfect," Cas said dejectedly in self-sarcasm as he stands there in the middle of the dirty old warehouse with the two unconscious Winchesters at his feet.

Whatever is he gonna do now?

~ The End ~


	6. Tomato-rice Soup

**Summary: Story 6: Tomato-rice Soup - Sam and Dean had both gotten sick at the same time from the flu that is going around. It is now up to Mary to take care of her two boys.**

 **I feel like there haven't been enough Sam/Dean/Mary interactions in season 12 so here is one that I came up with on my own~ You can slot this in anywhere between episode 12x09 to 12x13, after Sam and Dean escaped from the secret service, and before they found out about Mary working with the BMOL.**

 **Tomato-rice Soup is inspired by 5x13 "The Song Remains the Same"  
** ** _Dean: "When I would get sick, you would make me tomato-rice soup, because that's what your mum made you."_**

 **Rated: K**

* * *

Tomato-rice Soup

"Ah-choo!" Dean sneezed violently as he pulled out a handful of tissue from the tissue box.

"Dean! You don't have to pull out so many at one time! We're gonna…*sniff* run out of them at the rate you're going!" Sam complained as he pulled one out for himself.

"Hey, I wouldn't need to pull out any of these if you haven't infected me with your stupid flu," Dean countered.

"What?! We got them at the same time!" Sam exclaimed indignantly.

"Nope, pretty sure you got it first," Dean insisted stubbornly.

The flu, compounded with a slight fever, had resulted in a grumpy mood for the both of them.

Just then, the door from upstairs opens noisily and the brothers look up to see Mary coming down, carrying a few grocery bags on her arms.

"Mum!" "Mum, hey, it's been a while." They greeted heartily.

"Hey, I heard from Castiel that you boys are sick," Mary said in concern.

"You met Cas recently?" Sam asked curiously.

"Oh, no, he called me. He noticed you two are sick from your last phone call but his hands are full at the moment and couldn't come over to heal you guys so he asked me to check on you instead. Also, I haven't dropped by in a while, I wanted to see you," Mary explained with a smile.

"Oh. Actually, we're fine, mum, *sniff* it's just a bit of flu," Dean told her.

Mary eyes the slightly flush faces of her boys and reaches out to feel their heads with the back of her hand.

"Nope, not just flu, you've got fever too," Mary informed them.

"Yea, they usually come in a package…" Dean joked.

"Don't worry mum, this is nothing *sniff*. We'll recover in no time," Sam reassured her. Of course, both of them have suffered much worse conditions before that this is really barely anything in comparison.

"I know you can take care of yourselves, but since I'm already here, might as well make myself useful," Mary gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "I can't snap my fingers and heal you like Castiel, but I can – cook up a dinner," she lifted the grocery bag that she had brought.

* * *

"Wow, this is not bad, what is it, some hot lemonade?" Dean commented on the drink that Mary had just made for them.

"It's honey lemon, good for flu," Mary told him as she continues with the dinner preparation.

Sam, Dean, and Mary have relocated themselves into the bunker's kitchen as Mary cooks while having small talks with her boys.

"So, mum, what have you been up to?" Sam asked curiously.

"Mm... travelling; learning about the internet and stuff like that," Mary replied. She wasn't exactly lying… but she had definitely done more than just that. Then, before the boys can pursue the topic further, she decides to change the course of their conversation.

"Oh and I wanted to ask you something," she began. "When I was talking to Cas before, he mentioned something about this book series called…er…"Supernatural"?" She said uncertainly. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean exchanged a horrified look behind her back.

"…we were chatting and I think at one point he recommended it in passing, saying something about how the book is…an actual transcription of what you boys have lived through? I haven't gone about searching for those books yet, but I'll read it some time, sounds like a good way for me to catch up on your lives, right?"

"No!" The two brothers exclaimed simultaneously.

Mary turns around to look at them, taken aback by their reaction. "Don't you…want me to know you better?"

"No…I mean yes, we do want you to know us better, but…you…don't need to read those books…"

"What Sam means is that, you can just ask us. Since we're right here, we can tell you everything you want to know. So, you don't have to get it from some…shady, second-hand source when you can get it first-hand instead. Right?"

Mary glances at her two boys suspiciously. They seem pretty reluctant in letting her get her hands on those books and that got her wondering.

Mary: "…Why, what was written about you in the book?"

Everything.

Sam: "Er…in the book… Well, it did write about some of our experiences, like hunting stuff, but they're… not very well-written..."

Dean: "Nope, they're not. Not a good read at all."

Mary continue staring at the two and can't help but notice how edgy and uncomfortable they seem to be at this whole book-thing.

"You know you are just making me more curious about those books, right?" Mary asked rhetorically.

Sam and Dean groan and sigh heavily. Murdering Castiel is now officially at the top of the Winchester brothers' to-do list.

"Hey, mum!" Sam suddenly pointed at the pot behind Mary, its content is over-flowing a little.

"Oh! Opps…" Mary quickly turned off the fire and lifted the lid.

Back at the table, Sam and Dean are having an intense silent conversation.

Sam: [How?]

Dean: [I don't know!]

They stop mouthing at each other instantaneously as Mary turns around towards the table.

"Here you go," Mary said, placing a bowl of soupy substances in front of them each.

They both tried a spoonful.

"This is…tomato-rice soup," Dean recognised. "You used to make this for me when I was a kid," Dean reminisced.

"You still remember?" Mary asked in pleasant surprise.

"Yea…kind of," Dean took another spoonful. "It's delicious!" He declared.

Sam looks at Dean in disbelief. Whatever happened to that brother of his who claimed he's "a warrior" and "can't live on rabbit food"? (quoted from ep 7x22)

Mary brought several other simple dishes to the table, which lacks the usual bacon; cheese; pie and Dean-friendly food in general. Instead, they're all flu-friendly food, like fruits and vegetables, aka "rabbit food" in Dean's dictionary. Despite so, the boys finished everything in a flash, leaving the plates squeaky clean.

They do not know if Mary realised, but this is the first full meal that she had made for them since she came back. And it is the most delicious meal that they have ever had.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **My first Sam/Dean/Mary fic! They should really spend more quality family time together~ It will be really interesting if Mary actually got hold of the "Supernatural" book series XD**

 **I'm currently writing another story with the 3 of them. Something along the line of how a witch had turned Dean back into a kid while still being in his adult body~ Won't publish it under "Supernatural Shrabbles" though cause it's gonna be a few chapters long.  
Just started writing, hope I can finish it soon! ^^**


	7. Puppy Power x2

**Summary: Story 7: Puppy Power x2 – Dean vs Puppy-dog eyes, which will prevail? ;) Fluff! Words: 1,799**

 **I'm a dog-lover like Sam/Jared so here's one doggy fic for all the dog-lovers out there!~**

 **Puppy Power x2** **is inspired by Sam Winchester's puppy-dog eyes (of course ^^)**

 **Rated: K**

* * *

Puppy Power x2

The rain is getting heavier as Sam sloshes through the dark alley. He is starting to get a wet, squishy feeling inside his shoes every time he takes a step - which is kind of uncomfortable.

Sam Winchester is running a quick errand as the bunker is currently low on food supply. He has gotten some cakes; beers; coffee; chicken; hotdogs; bacon; salad (for himself) and of course, the shop had to run out of pie. This is why, instead of heading straight back to the bunker, Sam has to make a slight detour to another shop that hopefully provides the holy pie. He can already imagine the look on Dean's face if he had gone back without it.

As Sam quickened his footsteps to sooner get out of the rain, he heard a weak, pitiful whimper sounded from somewhere in the shadows. Sam stops in his track for a moment to listen; then he walks towards the sound. He bends down and underneath some discarded cardboard boxes lays a little brown puppy – drenched in rainwater and shaking like a leaf in the wind. Despite so, it manages to wag its tail weakly from side to side as Sam approaches it; and even lifts its head hopefully when Sam crouches down in front of it.

Sam adjusts the plastic bags to have them hanging on his arms and gingerly pulls the puppy out of the cardboard boxes and cuddles it against his chest. As he scratches its head gently, he notices a collar around its neck.

"Hey buddy, are you lost?" Sam asked rhetorically. He looks around the alley but there's no one in sight.

"Let's get you somewhere warm…" Sam told it as he felt it shivering in his arms.

Dean is not gonna like this… Sam thought to himself as he covers the pup with his jacket to shield it from the rain and jogs towards the impala.

* * *

"Finally!" Dean exclaimed as the bunker door screeches open.

Sam came down the stairs, dripping wet, and dumped the plastic bags of food on the table, which Dean unwraps enthusiastically.

"Er…Dean?" Sam began and Dean stopped rummaging through the bags at once – he knew that tone.

"What?" He asked suspiciously and that's when he noticed the little bulge inside Sam's jacket which Sam is cuddling protectively at.

"Ok, so, it's pouring really heavily outside right now and it's cold…and wet an..and I just couldn't leave him alone…" Sam explained as a little head popped out from underneath his jacket.

Dean: "Wha…really?! Sam.. we don't exactly have the necessary conditions over here to raise… anything! If you haven't noticed!"

Sam: "No, no, I know! I'm not going to keep him! He already got an owner. It's just until the rain stops."

Sam tugged at the collar on the pup while Dean glared at the both of them - deliberating. Two pairs of puppy-dog eyes peer back at him, awaiting his final verdict. Normally, Dean is already weak and helpless against the power of just one pair of pleading orbs, so how will he fare with two? Yup, you guessed it.

Dean: "Fine… Fine. Until the rain stops. And if he pees in my house, I swear..."

Sam: "He won't. Well… I'll clean it up if he did."

Dean shakes his head defeatedly and goes back to rummaging the food and, unseen by Dean, Sam smiles a victorious smile as he turns around to walk towards the bathroom. Both the puppy-dog eyes' owners are in need of a hot shower after their time in the chilly rain.

"Come on, Buddy," Sam told the little pup happily.

"Buddy?" Dean repeated in a judgmental tone.

"That's his name, Dean. It's on his tag," Sam explained.

"What a lame name," Dean sneered at the too-common name of the puppy.

"Yea? What will you name your dog if you have one?" Sam challenged.

"Dog," Dean replied carelessly after a second of consideration.

"Dog?" Sam said incredulously. "Right. And that's not lame at all," he countered sarcastically.

Sam is about to turn around the corner when Dean called out.

"Dude, where's the pie?" He had looked through every bag but still couldn't find that little slice of heaven.

Sam turns sideway to give him a shifty look; opening and closing his mouth without uttering a word; and he hurried away, fumbling to the safety of the bathroom. Truth be told, he had forgotten all about it until this instance.

"Hey…Sam! Dean roared. "I want my pie!" He demanded angrily.

* * *

Sam and Buddy came out of the hot shower feeling warm and refreshed. The two of them arrived at the kitchen as Sam wanted to give him some food and water. Dean, however, is in the kitchen too, with hot dogs and beer on the table, in substitution of his pie. He gave Sam a dirty look as he came into the kitchen, reminding him of his discontent with the lack of pie. Sam swiftly avoided his eyes as he let Buddy down on the kitchen floor while he prepares his meal.

Once released, Buddy began exploring his new surroundings, sniffing away at everything and wagging his tail as he goes. He then follows his nose to where Dean is sitting - the fragrance of fat, juicy meat is simply irresistible. Lifting himself up to have both his front paws leaning against Dean's chair, he stood on his two hind legs while sniffing at the hotdogs in Dean's plate. Dean glances down at the little intruder to his comfy home.

Dean: "Hi Dog, wanna join the meal? I don't mind some extra _hot-dogs_."

Sam: "Buddy, hey! Come here!"

Sam quickly ushered him away from Dean after placing a bowl of water and a plate of mixed chicken-and-bread on the floor. The little pup happily makes his way towards Sam and wolfs down the food Sam had made for him.

"You know, I always wanted a dog when I was young," Sam said conversationally as he stares at Buddy fondly.

"Yea? Well, I always had one and you know what, after so many years, he still can't follow - a simple order, to "Bring me the pie"!" Dean snarled in annoyance, still going on about his pie.

"They ran out of it at the store, Dean," Sam rolled his eyes. Dean did not reply but irately stuff his mouth with hotdogs instead.

Just then, Sam's ringtone sounds from somewhere outside and he goes out to receive it. It is only Dean and Buddy in the kitchen now. Dean eyes the little ball of fur that had just finished his food and is now tottering around the kitchen floor. It goes one round around the kitchen and then eventually, stops at the foot of a wooden chair and begins gnawing at one of its legs.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Dean said exasperatedly before he gets up and picks the teething pup up before it destroys the furniture.

"Hey, stop it or I'll shoot you," Dean held Buddy up to eye level and warned him to his face. In response, however, Buddy begin licking Dean's face enthusiastically, to which Dean closes his eyes in disgust and immediately moves the pup further away.

"Alright, let's get you to your own kind," Dean told him and he walks out of the kitchen with Buddy tucked under his arm.

He found Sam back in his room while still on his phone. By the sound of it, Garth has got a case for them and Sam is currently taking down notes on it. Dean plops down onto his brother's vacant bed, along with Buddy, as he listens to the one-sided conversation while waiting for Sam to finish. Once he is on the bed, Buddy began chewing on the sheets but unlike with the chair, Dean doesn't seem too fuss about it. On the contrary, he gave an approving nod when he noticed what Buddy was up to and even started petting him absentmindedly, scratching him behind the ears, as he cuddles at his side. Sam, being concentrated on his note-taking, did not pay much attention to either Dean or Buddy or his sheets. It wasn't long before Buddy flipped over on his back, enjoying a belly-rub from Dean, with the now-holey bedsheet in his mouth.

"Sounds like a spirit haunting to me," Dean commented after Sam ended the call.

"Yea, seems like it, but we can't know for sure till we check it out…" Sam turned around and was taken aback by the view before him. Buddy is lying with his paws in the air and tongue lolling outside his mouth, savouring a full-body massage by none other than The Dean Winchester himself.

"We, er… will have to send him back before we go…" Sam said.

Dean looks down at the puppy; realises what he is doing; and instantly lifts his hand off the little fur-ball.

"I'll wait for you at the car," he said awkwardly and hurried off, not liking at all, the look that Sam is giving him.

* * *

They drive to a local police station near where Buddy was found. And the tricky part comes. Given their track records, Sam and Dean will want to avoid contact with the officials as much as possible. Luckily, Sam had given it some thought beforehand. He took out a piece of hotdog that he had brought from home and positioned himself and Buddy close to the police station.

"Look over here! You want it? Ok… go get it, Buddy!" Sam tossed the piece of hotdog a short distance away from a couple of police officers who are heading back to the station, and ran back to the Impala where Dean is waiting.

Both of them watch as one of the policemen picks him up and notices the collar around its neck. And they finally leave after seeing Buddy get brought inside the police station. Both of them are left with a peculiar feeling, after letting him go. It was a mixture of happiness and also a little bit of sadness. Despite the short amount of time spent together, they had really come to like the happy, little puppy.

* * *

"Pull over at the gas station," Sam instructed as they neared one on the way to the ghost-infested town.

"I just fed my Baby," Dean replied while he checks the meters to confirm.

"Not for her. I wanna get something from the store," Sam explained.

Sam came out of the store with a single paper bag in his hand.

"Here," he stuffed it into Dean's surprised hands.

Dean unwraps the bag and lets out a shout of laughter: "Ha! Pie!"

"Thanks, _Buddy_!" Dean said intentionally as he drives off, to which Sam rolled his eyes with a smile.

~ The End ~


	8. I Won't Kill You

**Summary: Story 11: Angst! Sam and Dean are locked inside a small, windowless room, alone, when the Mark of Cain acts up. It can only be appeased by blood and death. There are 3 options available. Option 1 - Kill Sam. Which is not an option for Dean. So, he is left with Option 2. Until, that is, Sam came up with Option 3… Words: 1,651**

 **Hey guys! Before reading on, can you already guess what the other 2 options are? :)**

 **This story is set in the later part of season 10, where the effect of the Mark is becoming increasingly pronounced.**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

I Won't Kill You

Back story: Sam and Dean were locked into a small, windowless room while Dean has got the First Blade on him.

"We have to get out of here," Dean paces the small room as he repeated this line for the countless time within the past two hours.

"We tried, Dean. This door's the only exit. I guess we have to just… wait for Cas to bust us out," Sam rubbed his bruised shoulders as he said.

The two of them had been going at the unmovable door for as long as physically possible but they may as well be slamming against the concrete wall beside it as they probably sustained more damages from the door than the other way round.

* * *

An hour went by and Sam noticed that Dean has gotten increasingly fidgety, pacing the room; rubbing his hands… and finally, he came up to him.

"Here." Dean holds out the First Blade towards Sam, who gives him a questioning look.

"Take it. And keep it away from me," Dean instructed, looking embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.

"Dean... You... "

"Yea, the Mark is working its magic - so take it!" Dean thrusts the blade into his hand and walks to the other end of the room.

"... you alright?" Sam asked in concern as he stows the ancient blade into his jacket, out of sight.

"I'm friggin' fantastic, thanks for asking," Dean jibed.

Sam watches him tentatively as he resumed pacing restlessly, back and forth along the opposite wall.

* * *

Another hour passes by and Sam is sitting at the foot of the wall, feeling a little drowsy. Dean had also settled down at the other side of the room, sitting unmovingly with his head lowered, maybe already asleep. Sam shuts his eyes for a moment of rest and all of a sudden, with his uncanny sixth sense of a hunter, he senses movements around him. His eyes flip open just in time to see Dean diving on top of him. A moment of wild thrashing ensues as Sam struggles blindly against the sudden attack.

"What the hell...!?" Sam jumps up from the ground after Dean removes himself from him. Standing five steps away, Dean is breathing heavily, the First Blade in his right fist. Sam feels inside his jacket and true enough, the blade is gone. Dean has an unfocused gaze as he looks down at the blade. His hand holding the blade gives an involuntary jerk as though taken aback by the sight of it within his grip.

"Dean... Dean hey, man, you with me?" Sam tried to keep the fear out of his voice. He takes one step forward and Dean glares up from the blade. And Sam has to admit that his heart skips a beat at the look in Dean's eyes. They are wild; hungry, and they thirst for blood. It is a look that Sam knows well, having been a hunter almost all his life. He had often been at the receiving end of such looks from those monsters that he'd hunted. But Dean is not a monster.

"Dean, it's me... What's with you?" Despite asking, Sam knows exactly what's wrong with his brother. It's the mark. The Mark of Cain is "working its magic" as put it by Dean himself, twisting and goading him into a monster that he is not.

Dean held his position for half a second more and then he blinks, and Sam sees reason returned into his eyes.

"Give me the blade, Dean," Sam held out his hand with his palm up, slowly inching forward.

Dean looks up at Sam, with fear and panic in his eyes.

"Stop! Stay away from me!" Dean warned as he backs away from Sam, the First Blade still raised up high in front of him, towards Sam.

"Ok ok, relax! I'm not going to do anything. Just... drop the blade. Please," Sam urged.

Dean glances at the blade, and then back at Sam.

"I wanted to kill you..." Dean uttered in a bare whisper.

"What?" Sam blurted out in disbelief.

"Before... it was just for a moment but... I wanted to kill you," Dean seemed as bewildered by this realisation as Sam is. He stares fearfully at Sam while Sam stares back, a chill just went down his spine.

"Ok... alright... That was the Mark. It wasn't you. You're in control now. Just... drop the blade first, we'll figure things out..." Sam tried to coax Dean into releasing the deadly, teething blade that is still tightly clasped within his hand.

Dean looks from the blade and back to Sam again, and to Sam's absolute horror, he withdraws the blade towards himself and set it against the neck of his throat.

"Dean...! What are you doing?" Sam said through his accelerated breathing and he takes an anxious step towards him.

"Stop!" Dean warned again as he takes a step back and presses the blade deeper into his neck.

"Alright!" Sam raises both hands in surrender. "Dean..."

"I can't... The Mark, I can't control it," Dean admitted outright. "It keeps building up inside me and.. I'm going to snap, I can feel it!" The First Blade trembles in his hand as he spoke.

"We'll find a way. We'll find a way to get it off you..." Sam said in a hurry.

"No! You don't get it. I need to kill. Now!" Dean confessed urgently. "And I won't. Kill you. Sam," Dean hissed through his teeth as he grips the blade tighter in his hand. The Mark needs to be satisfied with blood. Need, not want. It needs it right now. And Sam is the only living creature inside this locked room - besides Dean. Once Dean realises this, it became clear that he only has two options. One, really. Because murdering his little brother will never be an option for Dean.

Sam's heart is pounding so furiously right now that he can literally feel it beating against his ribs, like a wild sparrow trying to break free from its cage. His hand stretches helplessly towards his brother but his feet remain planted on the spot, afraid to move any closer. Then, much to Dean's surprise, Sam relaxes his stance.

"Yes, you will," Sam said in a monotone.

The wrinkles between his brows unknitted as his face is wiped blank of emotion. As Dean watches in confusion, Sam reaches into his inner jacket and pulls out a knife of his own.

In the next moment, it is Dean's turn to watch in dreaded horror as Sam mirrors his action and set the knife calmly against his own neck. Option number 3.

"What are you doing?" Dean growled in his low voice.

"You swing that blade and I'll swing mine. So if you're gonna kill yourself - go ahead. I'll come right after," Sam continued serenely.

Dean stares at Sam for a second and twists his feature into a painful smirk. "Nice try, Sammy. I'm sorry, I really am..."

"You think I'm just threatening you," Sam cut across him. "Sorry to break it to you, but I'm not," his eyes remains stony and there is no deception within them.

Dean drops the charade as his face cringes in agony, his voice shaking as he bellowed: "Dammit, Sam! You can't do this to me!"

"No... no, you can't do this - to me," some emotions came back into Sam's voice. "I can't lose you again, Dean. I'm not gonna watch you, once again, trying to sacrifice yourself - for me. I won't go through that. Ever again. I'm not living without you," Sam declared firmly while unleashing the full extent of his tear-filled-puppy-dog-eyes look upon Dean.

"Don't be dramatic, Sam," Dean said in a lighter tone as he quickly looked away from Sam's eyes. But Sam just stands there resolutely, with the knife sitting against his throat.

"Drop the knife, Sammy," Dean half-begged-and-half-ordered.

"You first," Sam replied simply.

They stare at each other; neither drops their stance but neither makes a further move either. An impasse is reached. Though it won't be for long. Dean has long gone past his limits. The First Blade begins to shake. Even Dean isn't sure, if the blade is shaking on its own, or if he's the one shaking it. But either way, that only means one thing - kill.

Sam recognises it when the murderous glare returns to Dean's eyes and he braces himself for whatever follows and - Bang! The door flies open abruptly and hit the wall beside it. Both Winchesters turn towards the door.

Castiel takes one look at the situation and with a raise of his hands, sends both blades flying away from their owners. Sam reacts with the speed of light as he rolls across the floor and snatches the First Blade into his possession. Dean let out a shout of protest as he charges towards Sam, ready to wrestle it out of his hand again.. and maybe more... But Cas has stepped in front of Sam to block his way, and then he presses his palm onto Dean's forehead. His eyes roll upward before he can put up a decent struggle and he falls, as consciousness deserts him, and Cas catches him before he hits the ground.

Sam got up and walks to Cas's side. He peers down at his brother with a tormented expression; sighs, and looks up at Castiel.

"Thanks, Cas," Sam told him gratefully.

"You're welcome," Cas replied gravely, worry and woe colouring his voice. "What are we going to do with Dean?" He sighed heavily.

Sam glances down at the man, his brother, who had done so much; fought so much; and sacrificed so much...

"We save him," Sam declared, his eyes ablaze with conviction.

Heartened by Sam's determination, Castiel looks down at his unconscious friend and agreed: "Yes, we will."

~ The End ~

* * *

 **There you go! The 3 options are: 1) Sam dies 2) Dean dies & 3) Both live/die and in this case, both live!XD It's pretty straight forward, I guess~ :)**

 **Writer's Random Rant: I came across this song called "Monster" by Skillet while listening to Spn songs on Youtube and I find it (esp the lyrics) so very fitting to many of the scenarios in the show, such as demon blood Sam; leviathan Cas; and of course, Dean with the Mark of Cain. I thought it was in one of Spn's many episodes but turns out it's not, surprisingly. There're quite a few fan-made videos with the song tho~(Apparently, great minds think alike XD)**


	9. What Are You Hiding?

**Summary: Story 9: What Are You Hiding? - Drabble! There's something that Dean is not telling and Sam wants to know what. Tag: Season 9, Words: 647**

 **This story is set in the earlier part of season 9 when Sam was unknowingly possessed by Gadreel.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

What Are You Hiding?

"Alright. So. Are you gonna say it?" Sam sat down at the opposite side of the table where Dean is sitting with his computer.

"… It's not me who drained the beer?" Dean raised his eyebrows at the expectant look Sam is giving him.

"No. Wait, you…? Never mind. What I meant is, you're hiding something – No. Don't deny it," Sam said when Dean made to open his mouth. "You are hiding something and I want to know what," Sam said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Dean replied after a pause and then went back to work on his laptop.

Sam lets out a huge sigh and shuts his laptop with a thud.

"Woah, dude!" Dean protested unhappily as he retrieved his fingers just in time from being snapped by the screen.

"Talk to me. What's going on?" Sam peered at Dean, with curiosity and concern in his eyes.

Dean bites his lips as he peers back at his brother, deliberating. It's no use trying to pretend that nothing's going on now that Sam had seen through him. Anyway, Sam deserves to know…

"Stop," Sam's voice changed and there was a moment when his eyes flashed blue. Dean looks again to find that Sam is no longer Sam.

"Zeke?" Dean doubts that he will ever get used to this identity-switch thing, no matter how many times it's happened.

"Sam is not ready, Dean, not yet. He's not strong enough, he still needs me," Gadreel said through Sam's mouth, with Sam's voice.

"I don't know… It feels wrong, not telling him…" Dean admitted the conflict within him as he stares into Sam's face.

"If he casts me out now, he dies," Gadreel said simply.

"… Alright…" Dean gave in the end. With Sammy's life on the line, he really couldn't take any chance.

Another flash of blue, and Sam is back.

"I know you, Dean. Whatever's eating at you, I can help. You know you can tell me anything," Sam continued saying, looking at Dean with his warm and sincere eyes, oblivious to his momentary absence.

"No," Dean disagreed. He cannot tell him. Because he knows Sam. He knows what Sam will do if he tells him an angel is possessing him. Honestly, he wasn't too happy about it either, lying to Sam; tricking him into being possessed by a fallen angel. But he had to.

"Why not?" Sam asked in complete cluelessness.

"Because I can't lose you…" Dean mumbled in a low voice as he gazed down at the table.

"What? … What do you m…?"

"Look, you're right," Dean cut him off. "There's something I'm not telling you. But I will tell you… eventually. And you can get pissed at me all you want when the time comes, but I just want to let you know - that I don't regret it. Alright?" Dean gradually raises his voice and speaks faster as he begins to sound more defensive, "I'll do it again because it was the only way and I have no other choice! So until then, quit asking. I'm not gonna spill," Dean pushed himself off the table and hurriedly sped towards the back of the bunker, escaping to his room. He had to say though, relieving all these off his chest did ease a bit of that guilt he felt, for having to keep a secret from his little brother. A really big secret.

"Dean.. wait!" Sam was totally taken aback by his sudden, lengthy confession and abrupt exit, to which he had absolutely no idea what he was going on about.

"What are you talking about? You don't regret.. what? And why would I get pissed? What did you do, Dean? Dean!" Sam shouted but Dean is already gone.

Sam stands alone in the library, bewildered, a million questions going through his mind.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **I was (still am) writing another one-shot and few-shot but decided to pen this drabble down first when it came to me while rewatching the show with my mum (we're about to start on 9x09) ~  
** **It's her first time watching, as some of you might know if you've read Story 3~ At this rate, I think she will finish all 12 seasons before Oct! X)  
** ***Update: She already finished 9x13, apparently she'd gone on watching while I was at intern… Oh wellzzz, I'll catch up soon enough :p**

 **Ps: She finds Crowley really dangerous and terrifying and that Mark.S did an excellent job portraying Crowley (which I totally agree). I guess I shouldn't spoil her on season 12 finale huh~**


	10. A Kiss of True Love

**Summary: Story 10: A Kiss Of True Love –** _ **Castiel: "Snow White; Sleeping Beauty; Beauty & The Beast; The Frog Prince... They all have one thing in common..." **_**Dean was cursed by a weirdo witch and he can only be saved by "a kiss of true love"! Fluff! - For us, Stress! - For them XD Words: 3,395**

 **A Kiss Of True Love** **is inspired by: Frozen (yes, that movie); Wincest; and Destiel**

 **Ps: This is my first Spn story that is inspired by a non-Spn related show! X) And as usual, my title always reveals too much of the story plot but oh wellz~  
Pps: This story does not contain Wincest or Destiel (..I think?), even tho it's partly inspired by them. Sorry if I gave anyone false hope~:p**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

A Kiss Of True Love

The shape of a red, contorted heart appears on Dean's chest, like a tattoo embedded into his skin, right above where his real heart should be; overlapping with his anti-possession tattoo.

"What is this?" Dean wondered aloud as he pulls his collar aside to reveal the mark.

"I've never seen it before... Cas?" Sam asked as he snaps a picture of it with his phone.

"No, me neither. Dean, how are you feeling right now?" Cas inquired, like a doctor trying for a diagnosis.

"I'm fine. I mean.. it's a little warm where the mark is but besides that, I feel completely normal," Dean replied.

"No, you can't be. You are cursed. I can sense the magic within you," Cas countered.

"Maybe it's a slow-reacting spell?" Sam wondered.

"Urggh! Stupid, crazy old witch," Dean groaned.

"Yea, well... No one asked you to break her favourite crystal ball..." Sam said.

"We should have killed her," Dean grumbled in annoyance.

"She is sort of... cranky, even for a witch, but she doesn't seem like the evil type..."

"She brews love potion, Sam! And she cursed me!" Dean raged. How does that not match the definition of "evil"?!

"Yea, I mean, you were being kind of rude..." Sam said fairly.

"Whatever. We need to figure out what mojo she'd hit me with. And I hope for your sake it's not something that'll make me as cranky as she," Dean added.

The three of them began combing through the Men of Letter's library under the "Witch and Curse" section.

"Guys, I found it," Cas called out after 2 hours of tedious flipping.

"What is it?" Sam and Dean crowd around Castiel, who has a thick, ancient-looking spell book in his hand.

He is looking at the page where a sketch of the mark is shown. It looks exactly like the one that Dean has.

"I must say, the witch is rather traditional. This curse used to be extremely popular. In fact, it had been so widely known at the time that people even weaved it into children's stories, which circulates till this very day," Cas informed them.

"What children's stories?" Dean asked cluelessly.

"Snow White; Sleeping Beauty; Beauty & The Beast; The Frog Prince... They all have one thing in common," Castiel paused and two blank faces stared back at him.

"Uh... what "thing" exactly...?" "That they live happily ever after?..."

"Only " _A kiss of true love_ " can break the spell," Castiel said, in all seriousness.

A look of realisation dawn upon them at the well-known phrase.

"It is not meant to be a deadly curse, more like a party prank, and only dangerous to those with no love in their lives," Cas continued saying.

"Sounds like her kind of thing," Sam commented, unsurprised that the love-potion-brewing witch would perform such a curse. They knew she was weird since they set foot in her house, where almost every witchy (and non-witchy) item she owned were related to "love", like she was obsessed with it. It was as though they had stepped into a strictly-themed Disneyworld sort of place – with the theme being - you guessed it - _love_.

"Where are you going, Dean?" Castiel asked in confusion as Dean picks up his jacket and swings it over his shoulder, ready to go.

"Somewhere I can get "a kiss of true love"," he winked and then continued confidently, "I'll break the spell by tonight. Ciao!"

"Dean, wait!" Cas called out.

"What?"

"It must be a kiss of " _true love_ ", or it wouldn't work," he emphasized on the two key words that Dean is obviously lacking with his current plan. "And you have to find it before midnight tonight or you will slip into an eternal slumber..." Cas said gravely.

"Wait, wait, wait... So, let me get this straight. I have to get this.. "kiss of true love" by midnight or I'll go full-on sleeping beauty until my prince charming kiss me awake?" Dean concluded.

"Yes.. and no. You must break the spell by midnight. Once you fall into the coma, you cannot be revived even with a kiss of true love," Castiel clarified. "The only way to break the spell then will be to get 7 kisses of true love. Additional ingredients will also be required - exotic ingredients, some of which I am positive had been extinct since hundreds of years ago."

Dean nodded slowly as he drops his jacket back onto the chair. So the only way out is to break the curse before he turns into coma-boy.

"A kiss of true love... True love? Where do I find "true love" before midnight? That's like couple hours away!" Dean began to panic.

"Hey, er... what about Lisa?" Sam suggested out of the blue.

"What?" Dean replied unexpectedly.

"Well, you still love her... do you?" Sam tacked on at the end.

"I..."

"Lisa won't work. The love must be mutual and Lisa has no memory of Dean. He is just a stranger to her now," Cas reminded. In fact, he was the one who had wiped her memories clean.

"Cas, how about you zap her memories back until, you know... after she helps break the curse?" Sam asked.

"I may be able to do that but the question remains. It depends... if their love is strong enough." Both Sam and Cas look towards Dean.

"I... We haven't met since..." Dean took a deep breath before continuing calmly, "Look, the last time we met, she got possessed by a demon and almost got stabbed to death, so even if she remembers me…... I don't know, alright!" Dean said uncertainly.

"Well, she's the best bet we've got, so..." Sam began.

"No, she's not," Cas disagreed as he scans through another page in the spell book.

"Then who else?" Sam asked curiously.

"Yea, who else?" Even Dean has no idea.

"You mean there's another girl out there that's..."

"No, both of you, you've taken this the wrong way," Cas cut Sam off again. "The children's stories were inaccurate, misleading. Of course, romantic love works just fine but according to this, that is not the only way," Castiel explains to the two, "A "true love" can be anyone whom you love, deeply and truly; and who loves you back, with a comparable intensity. The person can be a parent; a friend; …" and Castiel fixes his gaze upon Sam in a meaningful look, "...a brother."

Both Sam and Dean had their eyes widened in bewilderment as the information sink in.

"Huh. Are you saying that.. I should be the one to... to.. break the curse?" Sam gathered from Castiel's less-than-subtle hint.

"You are the one that Dean loves most in this world, deeply and truly. And you love him back, as he loves you. If you can't break it then no one can," Cas said with a straight face while demonstrating his ability to articulate uncomfortable truths.

Both brothers fidgeted uncomfortably. It is undeniable that whatever Cas had just said is completely true, but... Just but.

Dean did not want to go to Lisa, not just because he was unsure of her feelings towards him. Most importantly, he is reluctant to drag them back into his violent, supernatural world, ever again. He had done enough damage as it is. But after hearing the alternative, maybe the Lisa option isn't so bad after all. Cas can wipe her memories again afterward. Just a few more minutes of pain and heartbreak... if he is selfish enough to allow it.

However, it is not just Lisa's feeling that he is unsure of. Dean hadn't given much thought about Lisa and Ben for quite some time now. With all those constant apocalyptic-issues hanging him by a thread, there wasn't much time for him to do so either. So, how does he feel towards Lisa now? Has he already gotten over her? No, probably not. There will always be a special spot in his heart for those two very special people in his life, who had taught him what "normal" actually felt like.

But Dean can't be sure if that love will be enough for the curse. Even though it is a different kind of love, hence technically incomparable, it still paled significantly when put next to the bond between him and Sam...

"... Cas, you said the stories weren't accurate," Sam said suddenly, apparently following his own train of thought, like Dean. His eyes lit up as an idea occurred to him. "So, this kiss of true love, maybe it doesn't have to be, er.. a _kiss_ , kiss? I mean maybe it can work with.. like a kiss on the head or...?"

"Right... right! Will that work?" Dean asked eagerly. If that's the case, he won't need to even consider bothering Lisa anymore. The two of them stared hopefully at Castiel. Cas looks back at the spell book in his hand and flips through its pages, looking for answers.

"I don't think so..." Castiel stops at a page and turns the book over to reveal an illustration of the spell to which both brothers cringe upon seeing.

"There must be another way..." Dean muttered in denial and snatches the book from Cas's hands, looking for another way - any other way.

"There is no other way in the book, Dean," Castiel told him but he continued flipping, with a look of concentration on his face. Sam too, drifted over to the shelves to search for alternative solutions. With a sigh, Castiel joins Sam at the shelves and began their research all over again.

"Alright, let's go," Dean finally puts the book down as he stood up and grab his jacket off the table.

"Where.. are we going?" Sam asked.

"To Lisa's. And Cas can wipe her memories again afterward. - Or kill the freaking witch, whichever," Dean replied in a rush.

"Dean..."

"What, Cas!"

"We won't be able to do either before midnight," Cas informed him. Now that Cas has lost his wings, there is definitely no way unless they have a magic carpet.

"... a friend..." Sam whispered under his breath, another idea occurring to him.

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"Cas, you said true love can also be a friend, right? As long as they love each other, anyone will do?"

"Yes, that is so, according to the book."

"Then you can do it too!"

"What?!" Dean shrieked. This is just getting better and better.

"I..."

"You guys are best friends who'd.. die for each other, that should count, right?" Sam said convincingly. "And you're the one who'd said you have a... a _profound bond_ or something," he reminded Cas and his eyes lit up with a glint of something like hope, at his own genius.

Dean, on the other hand, did not seem any happier with the second solution, any more than the first. Though, Castiel fell silent at Sam's suggestion as he considers this seriously.

"Hmm, I don't know... I sincerely doubt that the witch took angels into consideration when creating the spell. I cannot predict the effect, with me being an angel, in Jimmy's body," Castiel analysed logically.

"Well... Can't hurt to try. Maybe it'll work," Sam said encouragingly.

"It's probably better if we stick with the safer option," Cas looked at Sam meaningfully again and Sam looked away, trying hard not to understand. "I'll get the ingredients ready to work the spell," Cas went away to the items/ingredients room, leaving the two brothers in each other's uncomfortable presence.

Dean begins flipping through the pages again, though he'd already combed through it very thoroughly the first time around. Meanwhile, Sam busies himself with the internet again, researching endlessly yet fruitlessly.

It feels extremely weird that each of them are so aware of the other's presence and so distracted and uneasy by it. When Castiel returns, with a bowl full of spell ingredients, both of them feel a sense of relief - which did not last.

"So… shall we proceed with the cure?" Castiel asked.

The two brothers look awkwardly from Cas to each other and neither spoke or moved from their seats.

"Guys, I understand this is a.. _very awkward_ situation, and the way to break this curse does not exactly adhere to your social norms but it is the _only_ way." Still no response from the two.

"Sam, do you want to _save_ your brother, or you'd rather watch him _die_?" Cas is starting to sound impatient, with the clock ticking the minutes away.

"Of course," Sam lets out a huge sigh and heaves himself off the chair. What is the point of stalling when he knows that in the end, he will choose to do this anyway? Sam walks over to where his brother sits and Dean stood up too as he approaches.

"So, we just.. go for it?" Sam asked Castiel.

"Here," Cas slides out his angel blade, grabbed one of Sam's hand and swiftly cut his palm open.

"Hey...! Ow. Thanks for the heads up, Cas," Sam said sarcastically as the angel held the bowl of spell ingredients underneath his bleeding hand and let a trickle of blood falls in.

"Press your palm against the mark and both of you - recite this," Cas put down the bowl and showed them a string of spell from the book.

Dean pulled his collar aside once again for Sam's blood to be in contact with the mark.

" _Eth donb fo uro levo, halls doun het recus._ " When Sam pulled his hand away, the heart-shaped mark is now glowing a faint red from the inside.

"It's working," Castiel confirmed with a smile in his voice. Their faces light up at the good news and for a moment, their eyes meet to share the happy moment. However, they are quick to look away when they remember what is coming next.

"I will light this up when you begin," Castiel hovers one hand over the bowl of mixture. The two of them inch a little closer. One can almost see the awkwardness literally rolling off of them.

"There must be another way..." Dean muttered uselessly, looking to the side.

"Maybe. But there is no time. Just do it, Dean," Cas egged him on.

And the two of them start to lean forward, forcing their heads towards each other as if an invisible force is holding them back. Half way through, both of them raised their hands instinctively - normally, one would hold on to the other person while they kiss. But this is no normal situation. They instantly jerk back, repulse against such contact, and with a look of understanding, both drop their arms, keeping their hands to themselves. Then they start to lean forward again.

Dean clenches his fists, pressing them against his sides as he feels a very strong urge to punch something right now; while Sam is focusing all his energy into forcing his head down to match Dean's height. And finally, after what seems like a Hercules effort, their lips meet. And they froze on the spot, their heads bending forward in a really awkward position. They heard the whoosh of flames when Cas sets the ingredients on fire. And they wait.

1 second. 2 seconds.. 3 seconds... The flame went out, leaving the ingredients sitting at the bottom of the bowl, unburnt and untouched.

"Guys..." Cas called out and the brothers broke apart at once, straightening their posture in relief. They didn't even realise until then that they had been holding their breath the whole time.

"That's it? We broke the curse?" Sam asked shortly as he took in quick breaths to fill his lungs with air again.

Dean pulls his collar aside and to their immense disappointment, the mark remains - red and a dull glow.

"Wha.. why?! What went wrong?" Sam exclaimed.

"I'm no expert but… that didn't seem like a kiss to me, much less a kiss of true love," Cas replied.

"What?!" Sam cried indignantly. After all their effort, how could it not have count?!

"What you did just now was merely touching of lips, that was no kiss," Castiel elaborated, though they should have known this better than he does. Who would have thought that Castiel, the innocent Angel of the Lord, would one day be explaining the definition of a kiss? Moreover, to the Winchesters – the supposed "experts".

"So, what, they need it done in French or something?!" Dean said irritably.

"No, that is not necessary," Cas replied, ignoring the sarcasm.

"Then what?" Sam asked.

"Try again. And invest your love for each other in the kiss this time. It must be a kiss of true love," Castiel instructed.

"What?" Dean snorted a humorless laugh.

"Do it now! You have exactly 13 minutes to midnight. _There is no time_ ," Cas stressed.

"Alright. Jus' get it over and done with," Sam told both Dean and himself.

"Fine," Dean agreed.

"I'll tell you when it's over. Don't stop till then," Castiel said.

Sam closes in on Dean in one swift step. Without hesitation this time, he leans forward, holding Dean steady by his shoulders. Dean stood his grounds determinedly, willing himself not to pull away. And for the second time today, their lips meet. And unlike the previous time, they did kiss instead of merely touching. A whoosh of fire ignited the ingredients once again.

1 second. 2 seconds.. 3 seconds...

"Guys, it's not working. You have to make it _a kiss of true love_ ," Castiel urged as the flame grows steadily smaller.

And Cas was right. The two brothers have not managed to infuse their love into the kiss. Both are focussing too much on the act of breaking the spell. They may look like they're in a kiss this time but the vital component of a "true love" is still lacking to complete the formula.

"Guys..." Castiel began and then stops, as he lets out a huge, weary sigh. They are failing. With mere minutes to go, the countdown ticks steadily towards the inevitable fate that awaits Dean Winchester...

But.. wait.

No.

 _Sam won't allow it._ After all that they've been through, how can he let a stupid, breakable, joke of a curse damn his brother into eternal slumber? He won't allow it. He will save his brother. He must. The hands that held Dean's shoulders tightened in their grip and they pull him closer.

Dean felt the increased sense of urgency in Sam; his desperation for the spell to work; and the fear that they were about to fail.

What will happen to Sam when they do fail? They have been there before - several times. The survivor will be devastated, and guilt-ridden, the kind of pain that will rip one apart, especially knowing that he had a shot at saving his brother and yet still failed.

Sam will be broken. And _Dean won't allow it._

Instantly, the flame that is so close to extinguishing turns alive again, burning bigger and brighter. Castiel's heart lifts with hope, seeing the dancing fire devour all of the ingredients.

As the flame grows, the mark on Dean's chest grows hotter along with it. The room became noticeably brighter at the peak of the flaming and then magically, it went out - in a blink of an eye, leaving behind a bowl of ashes that forms the shape of the heart-shaped mark. Meanwhile, the burn of the mark on Dean's chest also disappeared when just a moment ago, it was at its hottest.

"It's over," Cas said, relief seeping through his voice.

And they broke apart. Dean tugs at his collar for the last time and finally, finally, the mark is gone.

The three of them beam brightly at each other - they've survived.

However, the euphoria only lasted for a short while before awkwardness sets in. The 2 brother began to edge away from each other, their eyes darting unnecessarily around the room to avoid eye contact.

"... I need a drink."

"... I need a shower."

The two of them said consecutively. It is comical how they almost collided while dashing towards the same exit that leads to the back of the bunker. Honestly, it really wasn't that bad. Not as bad as they'd imagined, definitely – not that they're ever going to admit it…

"I'll just... wait here then," Cas said, being abruptly left alone in the library.

The room fell silent as a single angel stood there unmovingly. Waiting.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Wooo~ Story 10!~~ I don't even have to check the word count to know that this is my longest one shot till date! It will be even longer if I'd gone on with my another idea for how this story could go~**

 **There were basically 3 ideas (on who shld try and help Dean break the curse) - 1)Sam 2)Cas 3)Both XD  
And somehow, I could picture Dean glaring at me when considering the 3rd idea so I've decided on 1) in the end X)**

 **Shadowpletlove, Nope, not spoiling her anymore~ There was actually once or twice when I accidentally did that and it went something like this:**

 **Mum (randomly saying): Demons have black eyes, so angels must have white eyes. (She was at season 2/3 then)**

 **Me (without thinking): No, they have them blue.**

 **Mum: … You said that like it's a fact.**

 **Me: … … *Major Oops›‹* (She didn't know there will be angels in the later seasons…)**

 **Update: We(she) just finished Season 12! XD (I suggested re-watch;p) (Impatiently)Waiting for its gag reel to come out noww~~**


	11. 2-in-1 Brother(s)

**Summary: Story 11: 2-in-1 Brother(s) - What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9, Words: 1,449**

 **2-in-1 Brother(s)** **is inspired by 9x10 "Road Trip" and Season 9 in general.**

 **The story takes place after Gadreel left Sam and Sam, Dean and Cas took off in the Impala.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s)

Background: Sam is only half-healed by Gadreel when he cast him out of his body and he is in a bad shape. With no angel healing him from the inside and unable to heal himself fast enough, he will fall back into a coma unless something is to be done quick.

"Sam, you alright?" Dean asked as they sped away from the abandoned building, currently housing both the king and a knight of hell.

"Sam?" Dean glances sideway when Sam did not answer immediately.

"Ya, I'm fine," Sam replied in a controlled voice but Dean knows better than to take his words for it.

"Cas, did you heal him right?" Dean turned to the angel at the backseat for a more factual opinion.

"I did my best," Castiel sighed, "but his body is still too damaged from the trials, his organs will begin to fail soon and he will fall into a coma until…" Castiel trailed off ominously.

Dean's hands tightened around his steering wheel as he remembered the fear and desperation that gripped him while he sees Sam lying in a hospital bed, withering away. Right now, Sam must be in pain, though he tried not to let it show.

"Is there any way to fix him?" Dean asked the angel.

"Not from the outside. If only Gadreel had healed him further from the inside, his body may recover to the point where I can heal him from here," Castiel said dejectedly.

So, it seems like only an angel possession can help save his brother now… But, wait. They do have an angel, right there with them, sitting at the back of the Impala.

"Can you do it?" Dean blurted out at Castiel.

"Can I do… what?" Cas asked in confusion.

"Can you heal Sam from the inside, like Gadreel?" Dean clarified pressingly.

There was a moment of silence as Sam and Cas processed his question.

"Wait… Are you suggesting that Cas should, what, possess me?" Sam said exasperatedly.

"If you have another idea, I'm all ears," Dean replied.

"I may be able to do that, but…" Cas said slowly.

"But what?" Dean felt like he is currently sitting on the edge a rugged cliff, and the suspense is about to drive him off of it.

"…Sam has to say "Yes"," Cas finished his sentence and silence fell. Sam has to agree to the possession. Of course. The big "Yes" that gives the green light for an angel to enter your body. So, now it is up to Sam.

It is not going to be easy. Dean is careful to think it through before he opens his mouth again. Given the traumatic experience that Sam had just been through, you can be sure he won't be readily open to being possessed once again. Also, tricking him into saying "yes" wouldn't work a second time…

"Sam, are you willing to let me heal you from the inside?" Cas asked Sam directly.

Sam did not answer but remained silent instead.

"Sam, you're hurting, and it will only get worse until it knocks you unconscious. Let me help," Cas offered.

Dean casts a worried glance at his little brother sitting by his side.

"I'm fine," Sam repeated shortly, untruthfully. Cas is right. He can feel his body failing. Even now, his breathing is becoming more laborious as he tries to keep the pain under control.

Dean noticed that Sam has not given an outright rejection, which raises some hope that his stubborn brother may still be swayable to make the sane decision in this matter.

"Sam, it wouldn't be like with Gadreel. I will not take away your will, or take over your body without your knowledge and consent. I will leave as soon as your condition stabilises," Cas told him sincerely.

There was another short pause.

"What about your vessel? What will happen to Jimmy's body… if you leave it to possess me?" Sam asked while panting for breath.

He still has not agreed but it is getting close. Dean has made the right choice to keep his silence and let Cas do the persuading.

"I will be able to preserve it and we can keep it somewhere safe – in the bunker, so I can return to it after I heal you," Cas replied easily.

"Right…" Sam breathed and then there is silence in the car.

Dean and Cas waited, but the silence dragged. Dean peeks to his side and his blood runs cold.

"Sam?" Fear clotted his voice. He jerks his steering wheel and pulls to a stop at the side of the long, empty highway.

"Sammy?... Sammy! Hey!" Dean leaned over and grab him by his arm, shaking it tensely; trembling.

"…What?" Sam jolts awake, his eyes unfocused for a moment.

"You're starting to lose consciousness- Sam, will you say "yes"?" Castiel said urgently.

Sam looks down at his hands. He felt the firm grip of pressure on his arm, quivering lightly. Dean has not said much to convince him to take up Cas's offer, although he very much wants him to; although he is practically anxious as hell, just dying for Sam to say "yes" to the only option they have. Sam knows that. And he knows why Dean is holding it in. But he has no pity for his predicament, not now anyway, seeing as how he had brought it upon himself.

Another wave of weakness hits Sam, threatening to drag him under, and it is time for him to make his decision before he passes out permanently.

"Sam, you can trust me... _Will you trust me?"_ Castiel demanded.

"… _Yes_ ," Sam finally said, and he felt the sense of relief radiating from the person next to him, the grip on his arm loosening the moment he said the magic word.

Then, a bright, white light starts to emanate from the back and it grows brighter and brighter. Dean has to shield his eyes from being blinded by that light and when he opens them again, Sam is unconscious once more and Cas's vessel is slumped on the backseat of Baby.

"Sam? …Cas?" Dean called out uncertainly as he leans forward to scrutinise the body beside him.

Suddenly, Sam's eyes flip open and there was a flash of blue. Dean jumps back a little, as he stares at "Sam", who has sit himself upright.

"Sammy?" Dean asked tentatively.

"No, it's me," Castiel replied with Sam's voice.

"Oh. This' gonna be weird…" Dean muttered to himself.

Cas turns around and raises his palm towards Jimmy's body. White light emitted from his hand, making the body glow for a moment.

"It should be able to sustain till I return to it," Cas commented while looking down at his old vessel.

"Good," Dean replied.

"Gadreel had made some progress with the healing. It'll take some time but I will heal Sam completely," Cas promised.

"Ya, sure, you er, make yourself comfy in there," Dean said.

"I am… "comfy". Sam is Lucifer's true vessel, he is strong. He'll be able to hold any angel easily, and so will you," Cas informed him.

"Makes sense," Dean replied shortly.

Cas: "I'll let Sam take the wheel now, I shall focus on the healing. But before we switch places, I should warn you…"

Dean: "Yea?"

Cas: "I tried not to pry, but he's not exactly hiding it, either. Sam is.. angry - at you."

"Right… Crap…" Dean sighed. Obviously, Sam is angry. Dean already expected this. Angry wouldn't even cover it, he'll be furious!

Cas: "I'll let you guys work it out…"

"Wait… Just, one moment," Dean said somewhat nervously. He took a deep breath and stares down on the dashboard, and then he decides to turn on the engine and get Baby moving again.

One, this is so that he has an excuse to look at the road instead of Sam's livid expression. Two, there is a huge possibility that Sam may take off again, but they're on a lonely highway, with not a single "stealable" car in sight. Dean wants to make sure that he is back to the safety of the bunker at least. He is hoping that there may be a higher chance for him to stay put if the car is already on the move. And anyway, Dean has already decided, Sam will not be the one leaving this time, _he will_.

"Ya, ok, let's do this," Dean said dully, his eyes dark and solemn as they fixate on the road ahead.

"Good luck," Cas threw a sympathetic look towards Dean and his eyes flash with another momentary blue and Sam is back.

And then there is silence.

The calm before the storm…

~The End~ (Maybe)

* * *

 **Fun Fact: "2-in-1 Brother(s)" is an interesting idea that I had while re-watching season 9 before. But I was busy with intern and my other stories then so I didn't write it out until now~**

 **I really like this idea though, may wanna write a sequel to this,** _ **maybe~**_


	12. Heeeat of Th-

**Summary: Story 12: He~eeat of Th- - A few years have passed since "Mystery Spot" and it is just another day where the boys are riding down the road in Baby, when a familiar song came on the radio… Drabble! Words: 912**

 **He~eeat of Th-** **is inspired by 3x11 "Mystery Spot".**

 **I don't have a particular season in mind but as written above, this story will take place a few years after "Mystery Spot".**

 **Side note: It is not specified in the fic but when I pictured it in my head, the story takes place during night time instead of day. There shouldn't be much of a difference… but it just feels more right, for it to be at night (hey, that rhymes! XD)**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

He~eeat of Th-

Dean got in the driver seat while Sam sits shotgun, as per usual. The driver sticks his squarish car key into the ignition and twists. The purr of the engine and the vibration that follows is Baby's way of saying "I'm ready to roll!".

It'll be another long journey ahead, and Dean could really do with some music to his ears. He reaches up to turn on the radio and immediately, loud music blasts through the stereo, filling the entire car.

"He~~eeat of th-" and it got abruptly cut off - by Sam Winchester.

"Dude!" Dean exclaimed, with exasperation and surprise.

One of the top Winchester house rule states: Driver picks the music. Shotgun shuts his cakehole.

And Sam should have known this well by now, carved straight into his mind and soul.

Dean reaches for the radio switch again, only to have his hand slapped away by Sam's.

"D'you have a stroke?!" Dean shouted, getting annoyed now.

Even though Sam doesn't always see eye to eye (hear ear to ear XP) with his brother's music taste, he has learnt to live with it, and even enjoy it, because of the very rule as stated above. That is why, it came as a genuine surprise to Dean when Sam reacted with such a strong, reflexive reaction.

"You... you don't remember?" Sam asked with wide eyes.

"Remember what?" Dean cried in confusion.

"This song, you don't remember it?" Sam asked again.

"Heat of The Moment? What, you have something against Asia?" Dean raised his eyebrows, still clueless as to what is going on.

Sam sighs a mocking laugh at himself. Of course Dean doesn't remember. It has been a few years since those.. that Tuesday after all. Although Sam has heard the song over a hundred times, to Dean, it was just that once - so it's no surprise he had forgotten all about it.

"Remember Gabriel? When, before we knew he was an arch angel, he was a trickster?" Sam prompted.

"Yea?" Dean replied, not seeing the connection between them.

"We were investing a case, at the Mystery Spot, and it turns out to be him behind it all," Sam elaborated.

"Mystery spot... rings a bell. Is it that time when he made you live the same day over and over again?"

"Ya, Tuesday. And every morning, after I watch you die, again, I wake up to the exact same song."

"Heat of The Moment," Dean realised.

"Right," Sam said.

There is a short moment of brooding silence.

"Hey, at least it's not Tuesday today!" Dean said in an exaggerated bright tone as an attempt to lighten the mood.

Sam gave a cursory check at his phone.

"Huh. It's Wednesday," he let out a humourless laugh.

"What about it?" Dean gave a sideway glance at his brother, sensing an inside joke that he seems to be missing out on.

"You died on the Wednesday, after.. those Tuesdays," Sam told him for the first time. He is kind of impressed that he could talk about it so calmly now, when it used to be one of those untouchable topics, even in his own mind. They say that time heal all wounds, but he doubts that that is the reason for his case. It hasn't got so much to do with time than the man sitting next to him right now, alive and breathing.

"What? What do you mean I died on Wednesday?" Dean asked in further confusion.

"That last Tuesday - the only one that you remember - we caught on to him and he got us out of the loop, but then you got shot in the parking lot," Sam explained.

"And?" Dean asked.

"And you died. For 3 months. Even before the 1-year mark with the crossroad deal," Sam said.

"3 months," Dean repeated.

"Yea," Sam confirmed.

" ...You never told me that," Dean said, keeping his tone light. "So, it's like a sneak peek for you huh, for when I'm gone." And Sam just shrugged his shoulders in response.

"... And that's why you were acting so.. weird - since after the mystery spot case!" Dean recalled.

"Ya, and you keep looking at me like I'm going nuts!" Sam laughed.

"Nahh, I already knew you're nuts," Dean joked.

"Right, how could I not be, when you were en route to hell if I didn't find a way... which I didn't," Sam tried to keep his voice casual, but Dean detected a whiff of guilt towards the end.

"Hey, I came back. And I'm not going anywhere. And so are you," Dean said in a firm, yet comforting voice.

"Yea," Sam agreed. It was all in the past now. Dean is here. And he is here. That's what matters.

"So..." Dean reaches up for the third time and slams the radio on before Sam has time to react.

"Come on, sing with me! Don't say you can't remember the lyrics after a hundred replays! Heeeat...!" Dean sang at the top of his lungs while using one arm to block Sam's attempt to shut it down.

"Jerk," Sam gave up in the end as he slumps back into his seat, resisting the urge to stuff his fingers in his ears at the booming voice of his brother.

"Bitch," Dean retaliated in between lyrics.

And the two brothers sit through the last verse of the song, enjoying the drive, the banter, and also, the _He~eeat of The Moment~~!_

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Love the "Mystery Spot" episode! It's both funny and emotional and fits so well with the season~**

 **Writer's Random Rant: Probably most of you will have known this by now, (but I never come across any mention about this before!) so, I was re-watching episode 1x18 "Something Wicked" and I went: "Isn't that Hannah?!" O,O Checked it on google afterwards and realised that she was in 1x12 "Faith" too!**


	13. Spn Con Au

**Summary: Story 13: Spn Con Au – When Sam and Dean suddenly materialise at a Supernatural Convention during J2's panel…... Words: 1,198**

 **I've actually written another one-shot before this but decided to let this one become** _ **Story 13**_ **due to the "AU" aspect of this story that corresponds to the upcoming Season 13!**

 **It doesn't necessarily have to be set in the new season, but Sam and Dean already knew the identity of Chuck over here so it'll have to take place after Season 11~**

 **Rated: K**

* * *

Spn Con Au

Background: Sam and Dean were walking down a regular sidewalk at night when they were suddenly engulfed by a flare of bright, white light.

* * *

When they open their eyes again, they are looking down at a hall full of sitting audiences, mostly females. There is a split second of absolute silence when they stared at them while they stared back. Perhaps this is the time to use the expression: Being thrust up the stage without knowing your lines.

Then, the screaming starts. A huge commotion is brewing below, many exclamations of "Oh my God!" can be heard among the crowd and some sitting at the back are standing up to take a better look.

"Err... everyone please remain in your seat," a voice sounded from on the stage behind them. A familiar voice. Dean's voice.

The brothers spin around to locate it and right there behind them, a few steps towards their right, are...

"What the..." Dean uttered out loud as he immediately backs away from the two "others" while instinctively reaching for the gun in his back pocket.

"Dean!" Sam grabbed his hand before it touches the weapon. "People," he whispered meaningfully, reminding him of the many civilians sitting below, in full view of their every action. Dean redraws his hand but remains in a defensive stance. It is like seeing an exact replica of themselves, _their_ expressions also full of shock and bewilderment. Albeit uncommon, and creepy, it is not something that they had not experienced before.

"So, which one are you - shifters, ghouls, leviathans?" Dean listed, keeping his voice low so that the civilians wouldn't hear him.

The two "others" have stood up from their seats by now, with a face full of shock and.. more shock.

"I.. I'm Jared and he's Jensen, we're not... leviathans or stuff..." Jared stuttered his response, with his hands raised up in the form of a surrender.

Jared? Jensen? Why do those names sound so familiar? It is then that they take a closer look at their surroundings. There is a big screen at the back of the stage, focusing on their 2 doppelgangers and words are running across the screen, mentioning about some photo op sessions; two huge banners hang on both sides of the stage featuring various faces, all of which they recognise as people, monsters, angels or demons that they'd met over the years; and the people below the stage, a handful are spotted with rather peculiar attire, like having feathered wings on their backs and moose antlers as head ornaments... Sam and Dean exchange a look after taking in all of the strangeness surrounding them.

"Oh crap…" the two of them came to the same conclusion at the same time - this is the alternate universe that Balthazar zapped them into, years ago.

"How did we get here?" Sam asked frantically.

"I don't know! How do we get back?" Dean replied.

"Ok... er... How did we get back the last time?" Sam tried to think calmly.

"Er, Balthazar? Raphael? But they're all dead!"

The two of them look at each other with panic in their eyes. They glance towards the other two on the stage and realised that they have been joined by a burly man. The three of them were having an equally intense conversation while throwing multiple glances their way. The large man is standing in between them and the two in a defensive stance.

"They need a bodyguard? Figures," Dean snorted mockingly.

The bodyguard seems to be wanting _them_ off the stage, probably to protect _them_ from.. them.

"Clif, wait..." they heard Jared said.

"Hey," he then raised his voice to call out to them. "I know I sound stupid asking this but... are you guys-"

"Sam and Dean, yea. The real - Sam and Dean, not imposters who "don't talk" outside the show an.. and owns camels in their backyard!" Dean snapped at them.

"Wha... no, that's.. French Mistake, I mean, that's an episode of the show, making fun of ourselves. I don't.. actually own camels.. alpacas.. and, we do talk..." Jared rested the back of a hand on Jensen's triceps as he tried to explain.

Sam and Dean look at each other again as they take in this new information. Although they've only met them for a few minutes, their these two AU selves do seem different from what was portrayed in their last universe travel. So, is this not the same universe as the last one they went into?

"Alright, why don't we take this backstage and... try to figure things out?" Jensen suggested in a reasonable voice, in stark contrast with Dean's snappy attitude.

The crowd is getting rowdier as the staff tries to get them to settle down.

"We just want to help, really," Jared said reassuringly.

Both Sam and Dean eye the two of them sceptically but see only honesty and sincerity in return.

"What do you think?" Dean whispered.

"Seems like they're telling the truth," Sam replied.

"Yea, that's your truth-telling puppy-dog eyes alright," Dean agreed, nodding towards Jared, while Sam rolled his eyes.

The continuous clicking and flashing of multiple cameras in their direction is starting to get on their nerves but still, neither make a move to proceed backstage. Being ever cautious and distrustful is truly an occupational hazard for hunters like Sam and Dean.

Jensen was about to speak when the curtains fluttered and out comes -

"What's going on? What's with all the- Holy...!" He yelled and jumped back a little when he saw the bizarre situation on the stage.

Gabriel? Sam and Dean thought at once. And then, another person appears after him who looks exactly like-

"Chuck! Thank god. Quick, zap us out of here!" Dean rushed to his side in a flash.

"I..I..I... I'm not..." Rob sputtered in distress, looking alarmingly from J2 to Sam and Dean and backing away from the agitated-looking Dean.

"Dean, that's not Chuck..." Sam pulled him back while completing Rob's sentence for him. Dean looks on as Rob scampered over to the other side of the stage with the rest of them.

"Right... There're fake us, fake angels, and also fake God! Of course!" Dean threw his hands up in frustration.

"We need to get out of here... Come on!" Dean said as he gave Sam a push on his arm and then storms towards the nearest exit.

"Dean...!" Sam gave one more fleeting look at J2 and then runs after his brother.

A path is instantly cleared for them from the stage to the door as people shunned to the side to avoid getting in their way.

"Dean, we could use their help," Sam suggested when he caught up to him.

"What from those assclowns?" Dean retorted.

He pushes open the doors and in that instance, they were engulfed once again, by a bright, white light.

* * *

A familiar darkness surrounded them as a couple pass them by on the sidewalk.

They look around them for a stunned moment and then fix their eyes upon each other.

"Are we... are we.. back..? ..Now?" Sam stammered unsurely.

"Yes..?" Dean replied.

And so they are.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **I originally wanted to have a few-shot where the brothers meet J2 in our universe but realised it's too difficult to write ›‹**

 **Although I've been watching Supernatural forever, it is only in recent years that I found and started (spam) watching the various Spn panels, so it is not as easy to write J2 as to write Sam and Dean~** **All the Spn cons look really fun though~^^**

 **Writer's Random Rant: Last Thu, I attended this tutorial where the tutor used the word "influence" for a couple of times and it is** _ **really**_ **distracting X') (I blame Jared and Misha for that) Thankfully I didn't laugh out loud XD**


	14. Let's Talk About Hell

**Summary: Story 14: Let's Talk About Hell – Tag: Season 6 "The Great Wall of Sam" is tumbling down. Dean is freaking out with worry and Sam is, well, Sam. Words: 1,616**

 **Let's Talk About Hell** **is inspired by  
** **1) Episode 6x13: Unforgiven (that last scene when Sam is remembering/experiencing hell)  
** **2) Episode 6x14:** **Mannequin 3: The Reckoning  
** _ **Dean: "It was hell wasn't it**_ _ **. You got a big, fat faceful of hell."**_

 **Rated: T**

* * *

Let's Talk About Hell

"Sam! ...Sammy! Wake up!..." Dean shouted anxiously while shaking Sam by the shoulders.

Bathed in the light of the setting sun, a black Impala is parked at the side of the road while sparring cars pass it by.

"Sam, it's not real! Whatever you're seeing right now, it is not real! Sam, you hear me?! Sammy!" Dean continued yelling.

Just a moment ago, they were driving peacefully down the street, with rock music booming through the stereo and Dean nodding to its beat. And the next thing he knew, Sam was unconscious by his side, his body spasming uncontrollably; and his face, even with his eyes shut, revealed a look of agony and pure terror.

The wall is coming down.

Finally, after 6 minutes of wild thrashing that felt much longer, Sam opens his eyes. His body's no longer convulsing but instead, it sprawled numbly on the seat, drained and worn out, with only his chest still rising rapidly as he chuffs away the horror he'd just experienced.

Dean held on to Sam's shoulders and then drops his head exhaustedly as he lets out a sigh of deep relief.

"How long was I gone?" Sam's voice is surprisingly calm.

"About 6 minutes," Dean gave the objective gauge. It felt like a really long time when he had to see his brother suffering while he wrung his hands at the side, practically useless. He didn't like how these episodes are getting longer each time it happens and the interval between them getting shorter. Moreover, to Sam, his perception of that "long time" is even more literal than what Dean had felt. It was 6 minutes on earth but where he was... it was weeks.

"What did you see?" Dean asked tentatively as he starts the engine, the sky outside's turning dark.

"Sunshine and rainbows," Sam replied flippantly, sitting himself upright.

Dean throws him a dirty look that contains more worry than annoyance.

"Dude, you looked like you were friggin' electrocuted so don't give me that crap..." Dean begins to blabber out his anxiety and concern, trying to offer help, even though there is no possible help available. He knows that Sam doesn't want to talk about it but he couldn't keep quiet anymore like those previous times it had happened.

Dean kept up a stream of worried rants, trying to get Sam to open up to him while Sam kept quiet, mostly, replying mainly with various variations of "I'm fine"; "Relax"; and "I know it's not real"...

When the brothers finally checked in to a room in their standard, grade-less, crappy motel, the sun had long traded place with the stars.

"... I know what's it's like, Sam, what hell's like... So, if there's anyone, _anyone_ who'd even remotely understand what you're going through right now - it'll be me. But you've got to let me in, man. You've got to talk to me..." Dean continued blabbering.

"Dean. Look, I'm alright now..." Sam tried to cut him off.

"Now," Dean picked out the keyword. "I can't just have you " _alright now_ ". I need you to be alright, period." Dean countered agitatedly. "Sam, I know it's not easy... not like a "How's your day?" response - easy..." Dean went on and on as he unpacks, oblivious to the fact that Sam is at his limit with his persistent chattering.

With a loud "thud!", Sam threw his duffle bag onto his bed and riled up.

"Fine! Let's talk about hell!" He exploded. "What do you want to talk about, Dean? The heat; the fire; the sound of your own-sizzling-flesh; being held suspended by metal chains and having their hooks - sticking through your guts. Or. The devil - telling you; whispering in your ear - that this is going to last _forever_..."

Finally, Dean fell silent. As Sam listed the many horrific experiences that hell offered, those images flashes, way too clearly, in front of Dean's eyes, as though it was only yesterday when he had been on the rack himself... But worse, much, much worse than remembering hell, is knowing that Sam, the little brother he's supposed to protect, had gone through all of it, and more. That knowledge pained him in a way that Hell never could.

"... So, what do you want to talk about, Dean?" Sam asked again, his eyes boring straight into Dean's in a challenging glare while breathing heavily. And Dean just looks back at him, in what others would view as a blank, serene expression.

They kept the eye contact for 5 long seconds before Sam blinks and deliberately looks away. He pulls out some clothes from his bag and with a short glance towards Dean, said in a softer voice: "I'll take first shower." Then, he left his brother in the room while he closes the bathroom door behind him.

Dean squeezes his eyes shut as he runs his hands down his face. Plumping down on his creaky bed, he shakes his head violently, trying to rid of the horrid images in his mind. Images of him on the rack... of Sam on the rack…...

* * *

Back in the shower room, cold water is rushing down from the showerhead, splashing onto the heated skin of Sam Winchester. He takes in some long, deep breaths to calm his accelerated heart. As he begins to cool his head, other emotions rise within him. Although Dean had kept quiet during, and after his outburst, with his face seemingly cool and expressionless, it was not actually so.

And Sam could see it. That look in Dean's eyes was not merely sympathy or concern - he was remembering hell. The calm mask of facade that he wears was exactly that - a mask - to hide his pain and fear when it becomes too much. To an outsider, it may look arrogant or detached, but it is a mask that Sam recognised well.

He wipes the water off his face as he lets out a hefty sigh. He shouldn't have lost his temper. Dean was just trying to help, like he always does. Not to mention, Dean wouldn't even have memories of hell if not for him...

Remorse and regret overtook the fear and fury within. He should apologise... he will apologise, if Dean is still in the room after he gets out of the shower.

* * *

Back in the room, Dean lies on the bed with his eyes shut, trying not to think; not to see. He has a very strong desire to run to the nearest local bar right now, to drown himself in booze instead of images of hell - to escape. But he didn't. He couldn't - not when his brother is a literal, walking, talking time bomb.

The bathroom door squeaks open and Dean jumps off his bed, grabbing his clothes off the sheets and strides towards the shower with his eyes on the floor.

"Dean," Sam called out in a neutral tone and Dean turns around with a look of guarded anticipation.

"I, er... I want to apologise," Sam said, shifting slightly from embarrassment.

"What?" Dean spouted out, his eyebrows lifting with surprise.

"I.. shouldn't have gotten so worked up. I know I was acting like a jerk for... I didn't mean to remind you about hell. I'm sorry," Sam apologised sincerely.

Dean stared at him blankly for a moment as he absorbed his words.

"Wait a minute - lemme get this straight. You saw yourself in the pit, with the devil, like, less than half hour ago - and you're worried that by telling me those you'd.. what, hurt my feelings?!" He cried in disbelief.

"I know you're just trying to help..." Sam explained.

"Wow. Just... wow," Dean said sarcastically as he runs his fingers through his hair.

He then looks back imploringly at his little brother, with water dripping down his too-long-hair and clear, wide eyes that are staring at him, with an air of guilt around him. Somehow, he feels a sudden urge to throw a punch at him.

Is this really the time to be worried about anyone other than himself right now?

"Sammy... just... take care of yourself, alright?" Dean said steadily as he held back the violent impulse.

"Ya. Sure," Sam agreed too easily.

"I mean, whatever you do, _don't scratch the walls_ ," Dean clarified as he half-begged-and-half-ordered.

"Fine," Sam replied with a slight pout, not seeming entirely please about it.

"You promise," Dean is starting to sound whiny.

"Yes, I-promise-not-to-scratch-the-wall. Go shower already," Sam said with a roll of his eyes and he turns away to end the conversation.

Dean picks up a random pillow on the bed and hurls it at his brother. He hears him grunts in complaint as he shuts the bathroom door behind him. He should be thankful that it wasn't his fist that landed, Dean thought with a smirk. And then he sighs. Dean is damn glad that Sam has got his soul back but… trust that silly, soulful brother of his to be worried about him - _him!_ \- in his current condition…

* * *

Sam spins around to glare at his childish brother but was only in time to see the door swings shut.

"Idiot," he muttered under his breath. Nevertheless, Sam understands why Dean is freaking out with worry. This time, he isn't just being paranoid or over-protective like he usually is. The wall is crumbling. Although Sam promised not to "scratch the wall", and he does intend to try and uphold that promise, maybe.. it's already too late…

Sam sighs as he tugs the towel off his shoulder. And then he added after a pause, "Sorry...".

~ The End ~

* * *

 **I had this story in my head since the last time I re-watched those season 6 episodes~ (which is quite some time ago) Somehow, I only got down to writing it much later but still, glad that I did! :)**

 **Writer's Random Rant: I should really get on with studying now... Haizzz...**


	15. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - The Drive

**Summary: Story 15: 2-in-1 Brothers - The Drive, Sequel to** _ **[Story 11: 2-in-1 Brother(s) -**_ _ **What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,358**

 **Recommend to read Story 11 before continuing with this one. But it's still readable even if you didn't read the prequel~**

 **Note: The following story contains basically the same conversation between the brothers as the end of episode 9x10: "Road Trip", but in a different setting.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

 **Previously on Story 11: 2-in-1 Brother(s)…**

 **... "Good luck," Cas threw a sympathetic look towards Dean and his eyes flash with another momentary blue and Sam is back. And then there is silence. The calm before the storm…**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) - The Drive

Dean waited, but the silence dragged. The quiet is so loud that it is deafening. And suffocating. Sam had not moved since he took back control of his own body. He just sits there, staring out at the empty road ahead.

A few more miles slipped by underneath Baby's rolling wheels and Dean could stand it no more.

"Alright. Let me hear it," he finally said, bracing himself for the inevitable.

"What do you want me to say?" Sam spoke and Dean cringed internally at the lack of appropriate emotion in his voice, "That I'm pissed? Ok. I am. I'm pissed," Sam blurted out.

"You lied to me. Again." A hint of frustration is seeping through. Dean tightened his grasp on his wheel.

"I didn't have a choice…" he tried to explain. But Sam isn't buying it.

"I was ready to die, Dean," his voice's trembling a little with emotion as he turns his head to face his brother.

"I know," Dean replied, looking straight ahead. And Sam wouldn't know how much it hurts for Dean to hear him say that. "But I wouldn't let you, because that's not in me."

"So, what? You decide to trick me into being possessed by some... psycho angel?" Sam said in mad disbelief.

"He saved your life." And that is more than sufficient reason in Dean's book.

"So what? _I was willing to die_ ," Sam repeated with emphasis, and each word stabs into Dean like sharpened knives.

"And now... Kevin..." Sam choked up, his eyes filled with guilty tears as he tilts his chin up to prevent them from falling.

"No. That is not on you," Dean immediately countered, glancing at Sam for the first time. "Kevin's blood is on my hands, and that ain't ever getting clean. I'll burn for that. I will," he cursed himself mercilessly.

"But I'll find Gadreel. And I will end that son of a bitch," he swore. Meanwhile, Sam is shaking his head absentmindedly at the side. So what? It wouldn't change anything. Kevin isn't coming back. He is dead. Dead by his hands… Sam tried unsuccessfully to shake off the grief that went over him at the mentioning of their most recently deceased friend.

"But I'll do it alone," Dean added in a different voice, turning his head back to the road. Sam paused for a second to register the meaning of those last five words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He looked at Dean in confusion, distracted by that unexpected line. Dean looks achingly uncomfortable as he fidgeted in his seat.

"Come on, man. Can't you see?" Dean asked rhetorically. "I'm... I'm poison, Sam. People get close to me, they get killed...or worse. You know, I tell myself that I-I – I help more people than I hurt. And I tell myself that I'm – I'm doing it all for the right reasons, and I – I believe that. But I can't – I won't... Drag anybody through the muck with me. Not anymore," Dean said with a painful expression. His knuckles are white from squeezing the steering wheel.

There was a temporary silence as Sam sorted through his emotions and also Dean's heartfelt declaration.

"Go. I'm not gonna stop you," he said composedly.

Dean nodded, his lips pressed together in a tight line, lost for words at the moment. What else did he expect from Sam? He deserves that and he knows it.

"But don't go thinking that's the problem, 'cause it's not," Sam then added.

Dean waited but there is no elaboration.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He shot a glance at him. He honestly had no idea.

In response, Sam turns to the side to have the back of his head facing Dean as he stares out the side window into the endless darkness.

Dean understands that he isn't going to get an answer, so he just said softly: "I'll drop you off at the bunker." And then there is silence once more.

Until…

 _[Sam.]_ A voice sounded in Sam's head.

 _[…Cas?]_ Sam hadn't noticed Castiel's presence till then, having been too caught up talking to Dean, but of course, he is right there throughout their entire, intense conversation.

 _[Are you not going to tell him?]_ He asked. Being fused into one with Sam's mind and body, Cas knows very well, what Dean did not.

 _[No.]_ Sam said certainly, and he felt Cas letting out a small sigh at his reply.

 _[… I can tell him for you if you want…]_ Cas offered kindly.

"No!"

"What?!" Dean yelled back in shock and the car stumbled for a bit as Dean accidentally releases the accelerator too quickly.

"Nothing," Sam muttered, having realised that he'd just said that out loud.

Dean threw a weird look at his brother but decides not to prod further, seeing as how he probably won't be getting a response either way.

 _[No.]_ Sam repeated inside his head.

 _[Ok...]_ Cas replied dismally, shaking his head at his stubbornness. Though, he could also understand Sam's anger towards Dean; towards being lied to.

The journey continues on in that uncomfortable silence until they arrive at the bunker's entrance. Both of them got down the car. Dean opens the door to the back seat and was just about to pull Castiel's vessel off the seat when Sam's eyes flash a bright blue. With a touch of his fingers against its forehead, the body disappeared - Cas had saved them the trouble by zapping his vessel back into the bunker first.

"Cas?" Dean observed Sam's face. Castiel meets his eye for a second and gives a brief nod before another flash of blue, and Sam is back. Avoiding Dean's eyes, he walks towards the bunker without another word. He isn't rattled at all that the body had vanished from the backseat, so clearly, he had communicated with Cas about this.

"Wait!" Dean called out when Sam is half-way to the door. He small jogged to close the distance and stops in front of him.

"You mind, er, switching out for a sec? I want to speak with Cas," he requested.

"He's listening," Sam merely said, indirectly rejecting his request.

"…Right. Uhh… Cas," Dean began awkwardly, "you probably heard this already but uh… I'll be going solo.. from here on and… I'm sorry." Dean turns his head slightly to the side to avoid looking at his brother, clearly uncomfortable at having an audience to this farewell speech that is meant for only his angel friend.

Sam felt Cas letting out a small sigh and also, his unarticulated longing for Dean to stay - mixed together with his own anger and pity towards Dean.

"You er… you take care of my brother... You hear me?" He said while peeking up at Sam's face, with his head still tilted to the side.

 _[Yes, I will.]_ Castiel promised, loud and clear.

"He heard you," Sam conveyed. Although it did not show in his voice or expression, his heart did soften by a fraction at Dean's parting request.

"Ok…" Dean nodded with a small bobbing of his head. "Thanks Cas," he said while dropping his gaze to stare at his foot. A slight drizzle had commenced, falling lightly on, and all around them…

"Then… Bye Sam." He swiftly spun around and rushes back to his Baby and then, without a backwards glance, he drove off, alone, into the night.

Sam didn't stay to see him go. Instead, as soon as Dean heads towards his car, Sam started walking back to the bunker.

 _[He'll be alright.]_ Cas reassured.

"He makes his own choices," Sam said unforgivingly.

Castiel sighs again - he's been doing that a lot tonight. He could sense Sam's worry for Dean. Even though it may be overshadowed by anger, and even when he may be rejecting it, both consciously and unconsciously, it is still there – the worry, and concern, and empathy for his brother, Dean.

Cas has no doubt that they will get past this.. eventually. But for now… he'll just have to do his part in healing Sam's broken body, even if he can't heal his broken heart.

~ The End ~ (Maybe)

* * *

 **I would love to make this into a complete few-shot but I have no concrete outline for it at all (*sighs*)** **So, I guess I'll just be putting up random one-shots sequels like this when (and if) something comes to mind~ (no promises tho›‹)**

 **Ps: Less than 1 week to Season 13! Yayyy!~~ XD**

 **Brendie, Nope, I didn't know that actually:) Have been using both "yea [yeh]" and "ya [yah]" (that's what they sound like to me) as colloquial "yes". I usually just type out what the characters sounded like in my head, when put in those made-up situations, so, probably not gonna change~ Anw, thanks for the new info! ^^**


	16. Learning Winchester's Rules

**Summary: Story 16: Learning Winchester's Rules – Jack is new to.. er… actually - everything, and he has lots to learn! One of which, since he's living with Winchester brothers, is of course, the Winchester's Rules~ Fluff! Drabble! Words: 796**

 **Writer's Random Rant:** **Was doing my reading for a tutorial and came across the word Westchester - read it as Weechester the first time round and had to go back to read it again… X)**

 **Guess which rule is it! ;)**

 **Rate: K+**

* * *

Learning Winchester's Rules

There was a loud crash from the bunker's garage. Sam and Dean burst out of their respective rooms and, after exchanging a panic look, fly towards the cause of the commotion.

As they set foot in the garage, a messy scene of a crash site appears before them.

"Oh god..." Dean uttered in absolute heartbreak as his Baby sits lifelessly among the settling dust.

The two brothers hurried towards the damaged vehicle. They peered anxiously into the driver's seat but no one is in.

"JAAACK!" Dean roared in fury, jumping into the obvious conclusion of the cause of this disaster. "That son of a devil… He's dead. He dared lay his hands on my… He's dead!" Dean muttered furiously as he turns around and stalks towards the exit.

"Dean… Wait, come on… It must be an accident, he wouldn't…" Sam tried to soothe him, hoping fervently that Jack had found a good hiding spot till he calms Dean down.

Much to his horror, Jack suddenly materialises into the garage, standing nervously beside the wreckage, as though it wasn't obvious enough, who is the culprit behind all of that.

"There you are!" Dean changed direction and made a beeline for the Nephilim, raising his dominant fist in anticipation.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa… Dean, calm down! Let's talk about this!" Sam stood in between the two, blocking Dean from his target.

"You stay out of this!" Dean hollered at his brother.

"I..I'm sorry.. I..I didn't mean to hit the wall.. or.. or run away… I just… I'm sorry," Jack stuttered apologetically.

"Jack, are you alright? Were you hurt?" Sam asked in concern as he tilts his head to check on the kid while holding off Dean.

"I'm… fine, I think…" Jack looked down to check on himself.

"Oh no, you won't be when I'm through with you, come here you…!" Dean shouted as his advancement is deterred by Sam.

Jack took a few timid steps forward before Sam shouted: "No no no! Jack, stay where you are!" And he immediately stops on the spot, confused as to what he should do.

"Dean, at least give him a chance to explain. Please," Sam pleaded on Jack's behalf. And Dean finally stops struggling as he stands there with his arms cross, starring daggers at the days-old teenager.

"Ok… Erm, Jack? You want to tell us.. what happened.. over here?" Sam asked.

"I was.. walking around, and I came here… I remember the car can move, with people in it… I wanted to do that, but.. I don't know what happened… I couldn't get it to stop…" Jack recounted his misadventure.

"Alright, I've heard enough…" Dean said as he made to move again, only to be blocked once again by Sam.

"Dean, wait," Sam said, then he turns to Jack, "Jack, see… Dean doesn't like it when people er.. touch his car…" Sam tried to explain.

"Oh yea. You mess with my Baby, you get punch. That's the rule. I don't care who you are; who your father is; your grandfather is - you're dead!" Dean thundered over Sam's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I..I didn't know!" Jack apologised fearfully.

"Give him a chance, Dean, come on. We can fix her – we always did… Wait…" Sam said as an idea occurred to him.

"Jack, can you fix her? The car?" Sam asked.

"I..I don't know," Jack replied hesitantly.

Then, he raises a hand and places it on Baby.

"No! Get your hands- " Dean stopped mid-sentence as Jack's eyes flash gold while concentrating his power.

The two brothers watch on and a heartbeat later, Baby is back, headlights unbroken and no dents on the front either. Their eyes widened in awe as they walk over to take a closer look.

"You did it… Good job, Jack," Sam praised with a relieved smile.

However, Dean's eyes darkened slightly when he sees that some scratches from the crash had remained, creating long, unsightly scars on Baby's surface.

"Er, Jack, do you think you can do something about the paint?" Sam said when he noticed Dean's unhappiness.

Jack concentrated again but when he is done, Baby is now covered in a layer of dark, brownish sort of colour that doesn't really matches the original.

"What the hell?" Dean exclaimed.

Jack bites his lips in jittery and tried again – Grey! – Blue! – Red! – Gold! – Bright hot pink…

"You trying to be funny, kid?!" Dean yelled in exasperated frustration. Even Sam is staring at the Impala with his jaw dropped open, but unable to comment.

"I'm sorry! I.. I'll keep trying!" Jack promised.

And the rest of the day is spent in the garage with the guys witnessing various makeover for the Baby in the family, by the baby in the teenage form~

~ The End~

* * *

 **!Season13 spoilers!**

 **Episode 13x03 is kinda angsty so I decided to write this fluffy bit to make things lighter~ Love the first 3 eps of Season 13 btw! ‹3‹3‹3 Jack fits right in the Spn world and really enjoyed his relationship with Sam and even Dean (the part where he was mimicking him XD)~ Looking forward to see how the 3 of them will interact from now on! (And Cas too once he's back!) Didn't particularly like nor dislike Jack at the end of season 12 but now it's clear that he belongs! ^^**

 **Another pleasant surprise is the apocalyptic AU~ Wasn't that interested in the development over there before, but after the first two episodes – YES I am interested! It's awesome how the progression in both worlds are so exciting for me that there isn't a single dull moment in the episodes! XD**

 **6 days 7 hours more to Episode 13x04: The Big Empty… It's too long a wait~!›‹**


	17. A Prayer Away

**Summary: Story 17: A Prayer Away - Tag: 13x07 War of The Worlds, Dean feels that something is not right with the way Cas sounded over the phone, and Sam has a way to find out for sure if Cas is really in trouble. Drabble! Words: 455**

 **This story has made reference to:  
** **Episode 12x19: The Future  
** _ **Dean: "No bars? No bars. That's his excuse. Wow."**_

 **Rated: K**

* * *

A Prayer Away

Asmodeus (pretending to be Cas): "… I'm following a very interesting lead. I'll fill you in when I know more. See you soon Dean."

Dean: "Wait, Cas… Hello? Ok… That was weird."

Sam: "What he say?"

Dean: "That he's on an 'interesting lead'."

Sam: "What lead?"

Dean: "He didn't say."

The two brothers returned to their underground home and Sam found Dean sitting at the war room's table, glaring at his phone.

"Waiting on a call?" Sam asked.

"I tried calling Cas again, but he's not picking up," Dean replied, sounding annoyed.

"Maybe he's busy," Sam said.

"Yea… Actually.. I don't know… he sounded a little off when I talked to him earlier on," Dean said uncertainly.

"Off how?" Sam sat on the opposite chair across the table.

"It's just.. It didn't sound like Cas, I mean, it sounded like his voice but it didn't sound - _like him_ ," Dean replied in a confusing statement but Sam understood him anyway.

"You think he's in trouble?" Sam asked, leaning forward as he starts to worry about their recently-alived angel friend.

"I don't know… Maybe he's got "no bars" where he's at again," Dean said sarcastically, though Sam could see that he is worried. There was this uneasy feeling that he had after that last phone call with Cas, a sixth sense, you might say, that something is not right, although he can't say for sure…

"I know how we can reach him," Sam said suddenly.

"How? I already left him a voicemail, but if his phone's dead…"

"Not by phone. Cas is an angel right?" Sam said rhetorically, and there is that excitement in his eyes when an idea occurs to him.

"Ye..a?" Dean looked at him with raised eyebrows, still not catching on.

"We can do it the old fashion way," Sam said and Dean looks at him cluelessly.

"Pray," Sam told him and Dean finally understood.

"Whatever works," Dean said as he crossed his fingers and shuts his eyes in concentration.

"Cas- Castiel. It's me. I'm doing this cause you won't pick up your stupid phone. Call me now if you get the message," Dean opened his eyes again and glances expectingly at his phone. No response. And then Sam tries.

"Castiel, it's Sam. I'm, uh, praying for you to give us a call - just want to know you're alright. So… if you hear my prayer, call us back - by tomorrow, midnight, or we'll assume you're in trouble. Alright?" Sam untwined his fingers and looked up at Dean after he finished his prayer.

"Guess we'll wait till tomorrow then," Dean sighed and flips his phone around in his hand.

 _ **Tomorrow midnight  
**_ Cas did not call.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Just thought of this random bit and wanted to write it down – I think praying to Cas is a pretty clever idea actually, haha~ X) The guys probably forgot that they can do that since the phone is much more convenient, allowing for a two-sided conversation, unlike with praying~**

 **Writer's Random Rant: Last paper left for finals! Arggg let it be over already…**


	18. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - Home Unalone

**Summary: Story 18: 2-in-1 Brothers – Home Unalone, Sequel to Story 11 & 15** _ **[**_ _ **What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,358**

 **Recommend to read Story 11 & 15 before continuing with this one.**

 **Writer's Random Rant: Last week to school reopens, arggg… ›‹**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) - Home Unalone

It is just Sam and Cas in the bunker now, though it feels a lot like being alone, with just one set of footsteps going around the underground base.

Mostly, Sam couldn't feel the presence of another inside him, but not in the same way as Gadreel, who was intentionally hiding his presence. With Cas, it is more like he is too focus on the healing to make his presence known. Also, it may be out of polite consideration that he gives Sam an illusion of some personal space, considering how Sam would be more than a little averse to any kind of possession right now.

So, Sam goes about his business in the big, empty bunker that is his home. Although Dean had said that he'll be hunting down Gadreel, it didn't stop Sam from doing the same. He'd got his own beef with that angel too. On top of that, there is also one Knight of Hell on the loose that he has yet to figure out how to kill. With the whole Men of Letter's library collection at his disposal, Sam went ahead with what he does best - research. The days pass slowly as Sam wakes up; had coffee; washes up; research; eat; more research; and then sleep. It was a dull routine but it kept him busy and occupied and not dwell on the recent unhappiness. At least in the day.

On the fifth night, Sam drops on his belly on top his bed, mentally exhausted from all the research that had so far been fruitless. Maybe tomorrow he'll get lucky and land his hands on the right book. He shuts his eyes and tries to relax his muscles into sleeping mode. While he's at it, his mind relaxes along with his body and thoughts begin to flow into his brain at their own accords. The lack of control of his subconsciousness brings forth things that he had avoided thinking while awake. Like his brother, Dean. Where is he right now and how is he doing? What if he finds Gadreel before he does and goes after him alone, with no backup? And what if, blinded by guilt, anger and grief, he just charges at the angel without a plan? Stubborn as he is, will he call for help if he's hurt?

[You can call him, you know...] A voice said softly inside his head and Sam was instantly awake, catching himself mentally and halting his unspoken concern for his runaway brother.

[If you're worried, you can just call...] Castiel repeated.

[No. He's fine. He can take care of himself.] Sam replied deliberately. And he does believe that. Dean is a great hunter, one of the best there is. He wouldn't stroll up to an angel without a plan - it was just his subconscious dwelling on the negative. Dean is fine, he can take care of himself. Physically. But emotionally, it's a different story. Sam had seen how wreaked Dean was the last they parted. Though he is not at a much better place himself, he at least has got Cas, but Dean, he is all alone out there... He had asked Cas to take care of him, but who then, is going to take care of Dean?

[You know... with Gadreel and Abaddon... we could use all the help we need.] Cas hinted heavily, giving him a perfect excuse to get Dean back.

Sam was silent for a split moment before saying, [No... We can do it.]

[Ok...] Cas replied, while Sam shuts his eyes tiredly. [Sorry for keeping you up, I'll let you sleep now.] And Sam feels his presence fade away.

A wave of drowsiness went over him, probably Cas's doing. And Sam is grateful that he can finally achieve sleep without further more invading thoughts.

The next day, as per the past few days, Sam stations himself at the resourceful Men of Letter's library, counting on its bountiful supply of supernatural-related books that perhaps one of them will prove itself useful to what they have to deal with. Truth be told, Sam doesn't like to be there. Because every time his eyes glaze past the particular spot where Kevin died, something twists inside him, as though an invisible hand is squeezing at his heart, or stomach, or both. He avoided that spot as much as possible by focusing all his energy on the research at hand.

"Cas... I think I found something." Half a day passes by and Sam suddenly said in a hopeful voice, speaking out loud though it wasn't necessary.

[Yes, I'm listening.] Came Cas's reply.

"Check this out, it says here that it's an angel-tracking spell. If we gather all the right ingredients, we can... Oh. Hmm..." Sam paused mid-sentence as he just read that one of the crucial ingredients to work the spell is the grace of that specific angel you're tracking. "Guess we're back to square one..." Sam sighed dejectedly, dropping the book back onto the table as he slumps back into his seat.

Cas did not give a verbal response, but Sam felt a moment of hesitation from the angel inside him.

"Cas? What is it?" Sam asked curiously.

[Well, actually, I've felt it ever since I possessed you... There's a piece of Gadreel's grace left in your body. It happens when an angel leaves his vessel but it is harmless and is fading as I heal you, so I didn't mention it.]

"So.. if we can get that grace out of me, we can use the tracking spell to find Gadreel," Sam said in realisation and he quickly flips through the pages of the book. "Look, we can use this to extract the grace," Sam got to a page where a syringe-like object is drawn on its paper.

Cas read the extract of the paragraph along with Sam.

[Sam...] he began hesitantly.

"What, Cas?" Sam asked.

[This extraction... It will be painful, and dangerous. And the theory has never been tested.]

"Yea, tell me about it," Sam sighed. He just can't get a break, can he? But when has pain and danger ever stopped a Winchester? His eyes drifted to the forbidden corner in the library again and he hardened his resolve.

[Sam, what happened to Kevin, it wasn't your fault.] Cas told him firmly. He had felt it, every time Sam glances at the spot where the young prophet died, the guilt and pain that went through him... [That was all on Gadreel. Please, stop blaming yourself for his death.] Cas finally said what he had meant to say since five days ago. It was out of courtesy that he had not done so earlier on, not wanting Sam to feel invaded for having all his unconcealed thoughts and emotions unwillingly and completely shared with another entity within him.

Sam lets out a weary sigh. It wasn't him, but it was his hands that burned the life out of the kid. His hands that were controlled by Gadreel. [That's why I have to find him. For Kevin. For me.] Sam told Cas. Cas sees the determination in him and he, too, is prepared to give it a try.

The grace-extraction syringe was found in a room at the back of the bunker, the little object looking sinister and threatening with it's long pointy needle sticking out one end. Sam held up the needle in his hand and looks at it broodingly.

[Sam. No.] Cas said, seeing what Sam is thinking.

[I can do this, Cas.] Sam said convincingly.

[No you can't. And I mean literally, _can't_. It's not physically possible to do this yourself.] Cas shot him down at once. And he is right. A steady hand is needed to perform the extraction and Sam will definitely not be able to do so when the process entails immense pain.

Sam gives it a thought and said, [Can you do it?]

[No. I'll have to stay as far as possible to ensure my grace isn't culled during the extraction. Sam, I think... I think we should call Dean.] Cas suggested tentatively.

San looks down at the syringe in his hand. He needs to find Gadreel and for that, he needs that remaining grace inside of him. Cas won't let him do it himself, Sam can see that, and honestly, he isn't much confident that he can pull that off, even if he wants to. And that leaves him no other choice. With a resigned sigh, he picks up his phone from the table. His finger lingers above the number "1" on his speed dial for a second before moving away to "message" instead...

* * *

‹Hey. It's me. We found a way to track Gadreel but.. Cas says we can't do the extraction ourselves, so, drop by if you can.› Dean lifts the phone from his ear and then stares at it thoughtfully. From the toneless way that Sam had sounded, it is obvious that the SOS voice message wasn't his idea. And what was that about an extraction? He hasn't provide any detail about it. But for Sam to be convinced to leave such a message, it must really be that his help is required in this "way" of theirs to track down Gadreel.

Dean drops his phone on the table. He buries his face in his hands briefly before running it up and through his hair. What now then? He remembers clearly when he said that he will be leaving for good, that he doesn't want to cause any more damage to the people that he most cared about. Because that's what he does, hurting those who are close to him... But on the other hand, he did promise that he'll find, and end, Gadreel. Now that there is a chance to do so, is it right to just turn his back and let others do his job? Dean curled in his fingers, pulling at the roots of his hair while his eyes squeeze shut in dilemma. When he reopens them again, a compromise is in due - he'll do his job and hunt Gadreel, and then he'll leave. That's right. That's exactly what he'll do. With a clear resolution in mind, he grabs his phone from the table and leaves his seat.

"It's back to the bunker, Baby," Dean told her in a huff as he turned the key in her ignition, and Baby replied with an enthusiastic growl. They're going home.

* * *

 **For once, I know exactly what to write for the next part of this story, haha~**

 **Coming soon (or not so soon)… 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Remaining Grace**


	19. a bet Is a beT

**Summary: Story 19: a bet Is a beT – Sam loses a bet against Dean. Drabble! Fluff! Words: 580**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

a bet Is a beT

"I told you it's a ghost didn't I? I can feel it's nippy breath the moment I stepped into that house," Dean boasted once again while Sam rolled his eyes at the side.

"Fine, you win, for once," Sam replied huffily.

"I win, period. So, now I get to decide our Friday night," Dean said pompously.

The two brothers took a bet during the previous hunt when they had differing opinions about the case. Both felt certain then that they had correctly identified the creature behind those murders.

"What you wanna do?" Sam asked with a sigh, thinking that Dean will probably drag him to some fancy strip club for his ideal Friday night out.

"Grab your popcorns Sammy, cause we, are gonna watch a movie," Dean announced with a winking grin.

"A movie? Really? Just like that?" Sam said in surprise.

"Yup, and I get to choose the film," Dean told him, an evil glint playing in his eyes that Sam did not catch.

"Sure," Sam said immediately, this doesn't sound too bad after all. "What are we watching?" He asked.

"'It'," Dean told him.

"'Eat'? A comedy?" Sam guessed.

"Horror," Dean corrected him.

"Right. Cause we really need more horror in our lives," Sam said sarcastically. "So it's another zombie-eat-people show?"

"No, not 'Eat', 'It' - two letters," Dean corrected him again.

There was a moment of silence when Sam didn't reply immediately. Somehow, there is this unpleasant feeling within him when he heard of that movie title, and the name seems vaguely familiar…

Years ago, when Sam was just seven or eight years old, he had sat in a dark, musty motel room with dad and Dean while the tv played one of the most horrifying show he had ever known - "It". Not wanting to seem like a wimp, he had sat through the entire movie, though with his eyes shut for the most part. He remembered now, especially the antagonist in the show - the creepiest-looking clown with the scariest-looking grin.

"Hey, no backing out now little brother, a bet is a bet," Dean smirked at him from the side when he sees the realisation in his eyes as he recalls the old classic horror movie.

"We watched that before already," Sam kept his voice even as he said so.

"You remember?" Dean said rhetorically, "They have a remake now, we'll be watching the 2017 remake version of 'It'," Dean told him.

Sam didn't reply again, but from the way he held his lips makes it clear that he didn't like this at all.

"Dude, I thought you got over that whole clown-thing already," Dean asked in a slight teasing tone.

"Ya. Ya, I did… I'll watch it, I will…" Sam said defensively with a supposed casual shrug of his shoulders.

Dean smirked to himself. He remembered that time when they had watched the original 'It'. Little Sammy had curled himself into a ball next to him on the sofa, flinching every time the clown appears on the screen and looking as though he wishes nothing more than to sink into his seat and never emerge again until the show is over.

Although the current Sam had announced that he'd gotten over his clown phobia after that "therapeutic" hunt at Plucky's, Dean had thought otherwise. He couldn't help but grin deviously at the thought of this Friday night.

Oh, he's going to have _so_ much fun~

~ The End ~

* * *

 **I thought of this drabble the moment I saw the movie promo last year~ Can't help but link it to Sam's clown phobia haha~**

 **Ps: And who knew this story was about "It" as soon as they saw the title? ;)**


	20. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - Remaining Grace

**Summary: Story 20: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Remaining Grace, Sequel to Story 11, 15 & 18** ** _[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]_** **Words: 2,442**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15 & 18 before continuing with this one.**

 **This chapter is basically an AU of the grace extraction scenes in 9x11 "First Born".**

 **Side Note: To all who have reviewed, Thank you, you guys are too kind~ ^^**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) - Remaining Grace

Sam and Cas sat in the War Room, waiting for Dean's arrival. Like Sam, he had left a short message notifying his return.

Both human and angel look up expectantly when the door whines open. There was a brief moment of eyes locking when Dean steps in. Sam observes him inconspicuously as he makes his way down the stairs. He looks fine, the circles under his eyes a little darker than usual and his jacket a little looser around his frame, and Sam feels a sense of relief that those are the most pronounced changes he detects.

"Hey," Dean greeted when he reaches the bottom of the stairs. From the way he casually sweeps his eyes up and down the taller man, it is obvious that he too is doing a screening check on the other's physical.

"Here. The second paragraph describes the procedure," Sam skipped the pleasantries and gets straight down to business, pushing the book towards Dean. Nothing in his voice suggests the relief that he had just felt. He had kept it neutral though, instead of angry or frosty.

Dean helps himself to a chair and began reading.

"Grace extraction..." Dean mumbled, so this is the "extraction" that Sam had mentioned in the voice message.

"You have his grace in your body?" Dean asked after the read.

"Ya, Cas told me," Sam informed him. Then, he opens up the tin box containing the syringe and Dean picks it up with a wary look on his face.

"Why did you say Cas says.. that you guys can't do this yourself?" Dean referred to his message.

"Cas have to stay away to make sure his grace isn't extracted in the process and he believes that the pain from the extraction will.. distract me from doing it myself," Sam said evenly.

"Oh. And are there any, er, "side effects" from the procedure?" Dean asked.

"We don't know. The theory has never been tested," Sam said.

"Never?" Dean is liking this less and less and apparently, it has shown on his face as Sam then said.

"Look, if you can't do it, don't. But I am. And if you want in on this, you have to go all the way, even if the process may.. be unpleasant," Sam said upfront.

Dean chewed his lips as he considers. The pain, he can probably bear with, even though it will go against every cell in his body, to be the one imposing that pain onto his little brother, but the risk... The unknown is what truly scares him. However, if he backs down now and walks away, can he trusts anyone else to perform the task? To put Sam's life in the hands of another?

"So, decide. Are you in? Or out?" Sam pushed for a final answer. A look of hardened determination came over Dean.

"I'm in."

* * *

Sam lays down against what looks like a dentist chair while Dean stands at his side, the syringe and needle held ready in his right hand.

The procedure is fairly simple: Stick the needle in; extract the grace; pull the needle out.

Dean uses two fingers to feel for the exact spot on Sam's neck.

"Stop," Cas told Sam, who then told Dean. Although Sam could hear Cas fairly clearly in his head, he also felt that Cas's voice had become noticeably "softer", his presence less distinct than previous instances when they had communicated. And Sam remembered that Cas had said he would have to "stay away as far as possible" for his own safety and thought that might be the reason why.

Dean aims the needle at the space in between his two fingers and Sam feels the prick of the sharp needle head against his skin.

"Right there," Sam notified when Cas gave the green light.

Dean takes in a deep breath. Focusing all his might on his arm to keep his hand steady, Dean pushes the needle into his skin. Sam instinctively wants to pull away, but he held himself still.

"Ok. Start extracting," Sam relayed Cas's order in a calm voice.

Dean carefully removes his left hand from Sam's neck and moves it over his forehead, pressing down on it to keep his head steady.

[This is the part that will actually hurt.] Cas warned Sam, who braces himself mentally in anticipation.

Dean begins to pull at the plunger with his thumb hooked into the ring and Sam immediately understood what Cas meant. Compared to the sting when the needle was going in, this is, truly, torture. Despite having decided to keep the pain to himself, he realised quickly that he had underestimated the agony. His body tenses up defensively and his eyes squeeze shut but he could conjure up nothing behind those lids that will make this any easier.

"Sam, I got it. The grace," Dean said in controlled excitement, seeing the bright bluish swirl within the syringe, and he halts the extraction.

"Cas?" Sam consulted in a constricted voice.

[Yes, it's working...] Cas said.

[But?] Sam sensed a contradiction in the making.

[We'll need more grace to cast the spell. He has to push the needle deeper.] Cas replied unhappily.

"Push deeper," Sam told Dean.

"What?" Dean exclaimed.

"We need more grace for the spell. Push the needle deeper," Sam instructed.

"Are you sure?" Dean asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes, do it," Sam said with certainty.

Dean narrowed his eyes as he drives the needle deeper into Sam's neck. Almost instantly, Sam reacted to the push, legs kicking and hands jerking uncontrollably, and his eyes were rolling back into his skull. Then, all of a sudden, the pain stop. Sam jumps up, gasping away as he sits upright on the chair.

"Sam!..." Fear and concern clouded Dean's voice. He has one hand placed in support against Sam's upper arm and the other holding on to the syringe that is no longer sticking inside him.

".. What happened?..." Sam wheezed, looking around in shock and pressing at his neck.

"You tell me! Are you ok?" Dean asked anxiously.

[Sam, your body is regressing to the state it was in before Gadreel.] Cas warned.

[Do we have enough for the tracking spell?] Sam questioned.

[Sam...] Cas began in a low voice.

[Do we?!] Sam insisted.

[No.] Cas sighs in reply.

"We need more. Keep going," Sam said out loud.

"Wha.. Really? You were kind of.. trashing around..." Dean said.

"I was caught by surprise. It won't happen again," Sam told him before lying back onto the chair, tilting his head to the side to expose his neck.

"What did Cas say?" Dean asked.

"That we need more grace," Sam relayed only the second part of their conversation. "Carry on," he instructed, stretching his head further to the side.

Reluctantly, Dean lowers the needle once again...

"Urg..." Sam groaned involuntarily. After the initial trashing, he had been much better at keeping still, although the pain hasn't lessened one bit.

Every time Dean had to jam the needle deeper in, the deafening howl that follows stabs right at his heart, as though Sam is sticking a needle inside him as well. Blood is starting to leak from Sam's nose and there are a few moments when his eyes became unfocused, whether due to the pain or a more dangerous reason, Dean couldn't be sure. But it is clear that Sam is at his limit.

"Hey, ok.. easy, I'm gonna pull it out, hold on," Dean told him gently and moves his left hand to press two fingers on his skin around the needle.

"No!" Sam gasped in reply, reaching up with his left hand to grab the arm that is holding the syringe, forcing Dean to keep the needle in, "I'm fine... Keep going," Sam said stubbornly.

"Sam, you didn't seem "fine" at all..." Dean argued.

"I said keep going," Sam glared at Dean from the corner of his eyes. Dean swallowed hard. His instincts are yelling at him to stop, citing the fact that Sam may not be able to take it any longer. But guilt stands tall at the opposing side, telling him that this is the consequence of his actions and that he owed it to Sam, and Kevin, to get this done.

"Sammy..." Dean's voice is pleading as conflict and indecision battles on in his internal battlefield.

"You promised," Sam hissed, reminding him of his commitment to go through with this, all the way. The dents between Dean's eyebrows digs deeper into his skull.

[Sam... We should stop. I want to track down Gadreel as much as you do. But it's not worth losing you.] Cas told him.

"Do it, Dean. You owe me," Sam said hoarsely, forcing Dean to carry on, Castiel's words falling on deaf ears.

Dean squeezes his eyes shut, unable to look into Sam's fierce, unrelenting ones. He felt the hand on his arm pulling him inwards and he cringes heavily as Sam lets out another strangled scream.

Then, all of a sudden, the pressure on his arm disappears and he flips his eyes open to see a bright flash of blue emitting from Sam's sockets. A serene expression smooths over Sam's face as his hand lets go of Dean's arm and moves over his hand instead. With steady movements, it guides Dean's hand to pull the needle entirely out of his body. Next, the same hand palms at his neck where the needle had entered. After a moment of intense, bright light that caused Dean to shield his eyes from the beams, the nosebleed on his face vanished, and the wound on his neck closed.

"... Cas?" Dean uttered, as "Sam" got off the dentist chair.

"Dean. Sam's fine now, I've healed him," Cas reassured him.

"... Thank you," Dean spoked sincerely, still breathing a little heavily from the incident.

Cas glances down at the syringe in Dean's hand.

"Oh, ya. It worked. We got the grace," Dean said, holding up the extracted grace.

"It's not enough to cast the spell," Cas gave a small sigh.

"Right... So.. what do we do with it then?" Dean wondered.

"I can have it. Use it for healing Sam. It's not much but it's something," Cas suggested.

"Ok, sounds good," Dean agreed.

Suddenly, Cas's eyes zone out for a second as he wobbles on the spot.

"Cas?" Dean grabbed his arm to steady him.

"I'm fine. It's Sam, he's... trying to gain control of his body," Cas informed him.

"Oh..." Dean replied uncomfortably, guiltily. Truth be told, he had felt a sense of relief, and release, when Cas intervened during the extraction. He knows it is at the expense of Sam's own will in this matter, but... The conflict within him was figuratively tearing him apart and he is really glad that someone else could make the decision for him. The same decision that his heart has told him to make but was impeded - by guilt and responsibility.

Castiel takes the syringe from Dean's hand.

"Take care of yourself, Dean," he said before popping open the plunger. The shining blue content flies out of its container in a beautiful swirl and into Sam's slightly opened mouth. Sam's eyes blaze brightly as the grace gets absorbed by Cas and then it dimmed. Sam stumbles forward as he is thrown back into the driver's seat in his body and Dean catches him by his shoulders.

However, as soon as he steadied his feet, Sam jerks away from his brother, shoving his hands off of him and stepping back a small distance away. One look at his face and Dean could tell, the calm and neutral attitude of Sam from before is no longer available. Plain, raging fury radiates from the man before him.

"Sam..." Dean began in a soft voice, wanting to explain, to apologise, but...

"Get out," Sam growled in a low voice, his eyes ablaze with burning rage, staring at a corner of the room.

Dean doesn't need telling twice. Whipping around, he heads straight towards the bunker's exit. Sam takes a moment to calm his breaths before going out. He heard the heavy metal door clang shut as he walks into the library. Looking at the messy spread of research materials, he has a sudden urge to swipe them all off the table. He takes another deep, steadying breath as he shuts his eyes wearily, holding back that urge. It's not like him to do such impulsive acts, or even have such irrational, violent impulse.

[Castiel. I know you're listening. Come out.] Sam said in his head and he felt Cas making his presence known.

[Sam...]

[You said you wouldn't take over my body without my consent. You promised.] Sam accused. Being forcefully shut inside his own mind, it wasn't pleasant. Moreover, it feels as though everyone is lying to him nowadays, taking away his will. First Dean, then Dean and Cas...

[Sam, the extraction had been too strenuous for your body, you were already reaching beyond your limit...]

"It doesn't matter. We have to find Gadreel. We must find him..."

[It does matter, Sam. You - do matter...]

"No! You promised! You lied! You..." And there is more than one person in this "you" of his. Anger, betrayal, disappointment all well up inside him and he has half a mind to expel the angel from his body right now.

[No.] A deep, firm voice echoed in his head. [I am not sorry for stopping the extraction, Sam. It would have been too much for your body if we carried on. And if you want to cast me out, I won't go quietly. You will die if I leave now and I won't let you because you are my friend. Do not try to expel me, Sam. I will fight you if you do.] Cas spewed out an entire speech while taking advantage of the time when Sam was too overwhelmed to form coherent thoughts.

Sam stood stunned in the bunker's library, revering in the abrupt lack of Cas's presence and the unannounced dismissal the instance he finished his talk. Though, Cas's sudden outburst had an unexpected calming effect on Sam's emotion. It helped him got over his previous emotional state and breath normally again.

Sam waited a moment more, and when Cas still didn't show, he turns around and quietly goes to the kitchen - to get a drink. All the fiery heat from before had dehydrated him.

The very eventful day has come to an end. Painful shouts and angry yellings replaced by the shufflings of a pair of large man's feet. The bunker has once again, fell silent.

* * *

 **Haven't start on the next chapter yet but it'll be on Sam and Cas~**

 **This meant-to-be one-shot idea is well on the way to its 5** **th** **sequel O,o And though it seems kind of misplaced among this shrabbles collection, I hope it goes on and become a full, complete story~**

 **Writer's Random Rant (!Season13 Spoiler!): Ep 13x12** **"** **Various and Sundry Villains"** **had such a great mix of funny, serious, and exciting moments~~ Love Dean's spell-struck manners; Sam and Rowena's Lucifer talk; the Cas and Luci duo; Sam & Dean's talk at the end; and Rowena gaining full power~~ (basically the whole episode XD) **

**Next ep 13x13 "Devil's Bargain" in 3 days and 7 hours~~! Go time go! ^^**


	21. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - Undeserved Wrath

**Summary: Story 21: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Remaining Grace, Sequel to Story 11, 15, 18 & 20** ** _[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]_** **Words: 1,721**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18 & 20 before continuing with this one.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) - Undeserved Wrath

Sam flops down on his bed, belly to the sheets and hugging the pillow that he has laid his head on, with his hair spreading across his face in messy disarray. It has been a long day. The exhaustion though is purely mental. His body feels fine (thanks to Cas), much better than it's supposed to, given the ordeal with the grace extraction.

After several minutes lying on the bed, Sam remembers that he ought to close his eyes to fall asleep. He squeezes his eyes shut at that thought. Seconds pass by and Sam gave up, eyelids flipping open. He rolls over to lie on his back, gazing upwards at the rotating ceiling fan. There is an uncomfortable stirring feeling in the pit of his stomach and he knows, exactly, why.

The day's event is weighing on his mind. Although he had felt justified at the time, he can't help but realise upon further reflection, that he had directed an unfair amount of anger towards Cas. Most of it was not even meant for him. Moreover, the amount that was allocated for him had also been blown out of proportion, because of the parallel that Sam has drawn of his case to Dean's. He deliberated for a while longer on how to phrase his apology before mentally clearing his throat.

[Cas...?] He called out tentatively in his mind and a few seconds later, he felt his presence making itself known.

[Hey, Cas, thanks for showing up. I er, I want to speak to you.. obviously... Huh. Actually, I just wanna say, uh...]

[I know.] Cas told him.

[You do...?]

[Yes.] It is hard not to, when Sam has been dwelling on it for the past half an hour or so. [I'm not angry. Don't worry about it, you can sleep now.]

[Cas... I'm sorry, really, I shouldn't have lost my temper, it wasn't fair... you didn't deserve that.] Sam apologised anyway.

[It's ok, I understand. You're human, Sam. And human emotions... They can be overwhelming. I realised that when I was human myself.] Cas said understandingly.

[Thanks, Cas.] Sam sighed gratefully. [And thanks for just now too. I wouldn't still be in one piece after that if not for you.]

[You're welcome. Does that mean you have forgiven me for the unauthorized possession of your body?] Cas asked.

[Yea... sure, you were just trying to save my ass.] Sam replied with a short laugh.

[And Dean?] Cas asked for the absent one.

Sam's smile stiffened at the question. Does he blame Dean for not going through with the extraction like promised? Yes. There is still that resentment when he thought of his older brother. But if he could forgive Cas, then why not Dean too?

If he looks at this incident alone, Cas has had a much bigger role than Dean in hindering their plan to track down Gadreel. So, it should follow that if Sam is cool with Cas, he should be so with Dean as well. Yet this clearly isn't the case... Why the double-standard? Maybe the resentful feeling isn't entirely logical or justified? Or maybe there's always a different standard for that closest person you trust and expect from the most.

Moreover, the reason that Sam gave for Cas (for "just trying to save my ass"), it was the exact same thing that Dean was doing, with both Gadreel and the grace extraction.

But, no. They are different.

Dean tricked Sam into Gadreel's possession and Kevin died because of that. And the extraction was done to find Gadreel, to avenge Kevin. And Dean promised - he owed it to Sam, to Kevin, to do it. But once again, like with Gadreel, he broke his promise - in the name of saving Sam.

So they are different. It wasn't Cas who had indirectly killed Kevin using Sam's body and it wasn't Cas who lied to him and undermined his will. It was Dean.

[Sam...] Cas said in a quiet voice, responding to the bitter thoughts going through his head, [From how I hear it, it seems like he was out of options at the time. He meant well...]

[Cas.] Sam interrupted him, not wanting to hear this anymore. All his life, there is someone or something that is pulling his strings; making his paths and pushing him on to them, whether he wants it or not. It used to be dad when he was a kid, then it was the Yellow-eye demon, then the angels, then now, even Dean... He is sick and tired of having others dictate his life for him - it is his life for God's sake!

[Sam, it's not like that...] Cas says in a soft voice.

[Cas, please.] Sam thought wearily.

A moment of silence fell between them before Cas spoke again.

[... No, I'm not siding with Dean in this.] Cas picked up the subtle emotion within him.

[I didn't think that.] Sam replied defensively, though not entirely true.

[I can see why Dean did what he did, and I also understand how you feel deceived, undermined. I am not picking a side, Sam.] Cas reiterated. [I heal you, not because Dean asked me to, but because you are my friend, and a good man, who deserves to be saved.] Although Sam did not agree with everything that Cas said, he is thankful for it.

And then, he suddenly remembered what Cas said about having to stay away during the grace extraction.

[Cas!...] Sam exclaimed.

[I'm fine, Sam. Dean wasn't pulling the syringe when I came forth. My grace has not been elicited.] Cas replied before Sam could form his concern into full sentences.

[What happens if you did?] Sam presses his lips into a tight line.

[My grace will be depleted.] Cas stated simply.

[And?] Sam pushed, but Cas seems reluctant to give further details.

[.. And nothing.] Cas said rigidly.

[You're a terrible liar.] Sam rolled his eyes across the ceiling.

[That is not true. I once deceived and betrayed both you and your brother.] Cas countered matter-of-factly, rendering Sam speechless for a couple seconds.

Although the mind-sharing-hence-thoughts-sharing situation is mostly one-sided (angel side up), Sam could, to some extent, read Cas's thoughts too.

[Don't change the topic, Cas. What is it? Why are you worried? It's... something about your grace?] Sam asked in concern.

[My grace... the grace that I have right now, it's not my own...] Cas said hesitantly.

[Ok...? And?] Sam urged him to continue.

[It will not last forever.] Cas said.

[What happens then?] Sam continued asking.

[... I die.] Cas said evenly.

" _What_?!" Sam jumps up on his bed.

"Why didn't you say anything?... What can we do?" Sam asked out loud in his anxiety.

[The borrowed grace will sustain me for quite some time. We have more urgent matters at hand. This can wait…] Castiel explained, but Sam is still worried.

"Wait a moment..." Sam froze in horror as he just realised the immense risk that Castiel had taken by jumping forward during the grace extraction. If a substantial amount of his grace had been extracted then, he would have died.

[Sam, I'm fine. It wasn't as risky as you imagine it to be...] Cas reassured him.

"You could have died, Cas! What were you thinking?!" Sam exclaimed madly.

[Sam...]

"Wait... How else will you lose your grace? Are you losing it when you heal me?!"

There was a pregnant pause before Castiel answers.

[No, if I perform the healing in moderation, it does not drain me any more than maintaining any other human vessels.]

[Oh. So... are you doing it in moderation?] Sam picked up on the conditional "no", much to Cas's displeasure.

[I promised to heal you as soon as possible...] Cas began and Sam shuts his eyes and tilts his head back in exasperation.

[No.. Cas!... _God_...] Sam sighed deeply and, for the second time of the day, seriously considers chasing the angel out of his body, but for his own good this time.

[I know how you feel about being possessed, Sam. And I will do my best so you can be the only governor of your body. I can do this.] Cas reassured him.

[You're right. I don't.. like to share the control centre to my body, but you know what I not like more? To see my friend dying because of me. _Again_.] Sam said with hardened eyes.

[Sam...] Cas began, but Sam cut him off. He doesn't need a replay of the _"Kevin's death is not your fault"_ speech.

[Cas, man, listen. You've got to stop pushing yourself alright? Take as long as you need. Really. I trust you.] Sam told him in full sincerity.

[… Cas?] Sam called out when he did not reply immediately.

[Thank you, Sam. That means a lot to me, your trust.] Cas was deeply touched by his friendship and concern. He can truly sense that genuineness within Sam as he said this.

It is puzzling to the angel, why Sam himself can't see what seems so crystal clear to him: That this being is good - to his core. Castiel was ashamed that he ever regarded Sam as evil; an abomination, due to his infliction of the demon blood. He was too quick to judge and he has known for a long time now, how very wrong he was.

[Of course.] Sam responded to his thanks. [Hey, after all we've been through... You know, if it had been anyone else that night...] Sam trailed off, but Cas heard the rest of it anyway. If it had been anyone else but him, Sam wouldn't have said "yes". He'd rather die.

[Anyway, take it easy from now on, alright? Or I'll kick you out of here, I'm serious.] Sam told him in a brighter voice, turning away from that last ominous thought.

[Yes, you are serious. I understand. I will conduct the subsequent healings in moderation.] Cas promised.

[Great. Thanks, Cas.] Sam said with a yawn.

[Goodnight, Sam.] Cas's voice faded inside his head.

[Night.] Sam thought out the last word before finally settling in for the night with reasonable (amount of) content.

Although there is still zero progress in saving the world, Sam has had some in saving his friend, Cas. And to Sam, that is important progress.

* * *

 **I have some** _ **very**_ **hazy ideas of where this story is going from here on but it'll probably take some time to form in my mind and even more time for me to write them down ›‹ Also, there are currently 2 one-shot ideas in my head that I've yet to write out~ Timeee, I need more free timeeee~ Apparently group projects (x4) and free time do not co-exist whatsoever.**

 **Writer's Random Rant: Who's excited for Scoobynatural!~!~! *** **Raises both hands** *** \^0^/**


	22. Crossing That Bridge

**Summary: Story 22: Crossing That Bridge –** _ **Sam (in ep 8x06 "Southern Comfort"): "I just might be that hunter that runs into Benny one day and ices him."**_ **This is an AU of ep 8x09 "Citizen Fang" where Sam actually confronts Benny. Words: 2,079**

 **Crossing That Bridge** **is inspired by Episode 8x06: "Southern Comfort"  
** _ **Dean: "I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, won't we?"  
**_ _ **Sam: "Yeah. Yeah. You keep saying that."**_

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Crossing That Bridge

Background: Dean and Benny killed Desmond, the vampire responsible for all the killings, and Dean told Sam and Martin the case is over. They didn't believe him and Dean was knocked out by Martin. Sam then shook off Martin by asking him to get more dead man's blood while he goes and find Benny himself.

* * *

Benny leans against a rusty table in an abandoned warehouse, staring into empty space. This place, his hometown, where he grew up, and where his great-granddaughter now lives. It won't be the first time he says his goodbye but still, his heart feels heavy. Home, doesn't seem to belong to someone like him. Like Dean said, when words get out, hunters will come and he… he must go.

As he sits there, revering his last moment in his little town, he hears a pair of footsteps coming towards him – the first hunter has come. He sniffed at the air, recognising the scent.

"Sam," he called out before turning around to face him. A machete in his hand, Sam stands a distance away. His eyes are set in a focused, determined way that leaves no doubt, what he is about to do. "Dean told you we killed the thing that did it?" He asked to confirm.

"He did," Sam replied calmly.

"You don't believe him," Benny assumed.

"I don't believe you," Sam corrected him. Benny looks around him, listening and smelling, but there's no one else besides Sam.

"Where's the old, half-wit?" Benny wondered, knowing from Dean that it was Sam who sent Martin to watch him.

"It's just me, Benny," Sam takes a calculative step forward. Benny leans away from the table and takes a casual step back.

"You knew where I am and you just stroll right in with a butter knife in hand? No traps, no tricks? And Dean told me not to underestimate his little brother…" Benny raised an eyebrow.

Sam's gaze flickers away for a second. He did consider shooting the vampire with some dead man's blood from a distance - it would have made everything so much easier. But he _is_ Dean's.. friend. At the very least, he did help Dean got out of purgatory and for that, Sam thought he deserves a chance at fighting instead of being put down like some animal, or some regular rogue vamps.

Suddenly, a phone started ringing, shrill and demanding. It's Benny's handphone that is lying on the rusty table. Neither has to check the caller id to know who it is.

"I don't want to do this, Sam. I don't want to hurt you," Benny told him as the ringing continues, and Sam can see that he really means it.

"I'm sorry I can't say the same," Sam and Benny began to pace in a circle, both eyes fixed upon the other. Sam rotates his wrist that is holding the machete.

"Dean wouldn't like it if I broke his little brother…" Benny glances at Sam's machete-holding hand as he lets out a sigh.

"Yea, he probably wouldn't _when_ I hacked his vamp-pal," Sam countered. Benny's phone has quietened but seconds later, another ringing begins, coming from Sam's pocket.

"Why are you doing this Sam.. I have no beef with you…" Benny said softly.

"You're a vampire, who's killed two people, and more," Sam's voice is layered with disgust.

"That wasn't me…" Benny said immediately and Sam scoffs in disbelief. ".. But that ain't matter.. innit? … That's not why you wanna kill me," Benny said in realisation.

Sam furrowed his brows in confusion, not understanding. The ringing of his phone has stopped, while Benny's one sounded again.

"Big brother's got a new best friend but _Sammy_ doesn't want to share," Benny said in sarcasm, with his ringtone playing ironically in the background. Sam's eyes narrowed irately at his use of Dean's nickname for him.

His hand around the handle tightened, his teeth clenched, and he pounces, blade swinging. Benny reacted swiftly, dodging his attack, and in the same movement, grabs and twists his wrist in an attempt to disarm him. Sam grunted in pain at his twisted wrist, and he lets go of the machete. However, his other hand is waiting right below to catch it just in time, and he slashes the blade upwards with his non-dominant hand. Benny releases his wrist to dodge the blade and the two of them are separated for a bit. Sam returns his weapon to his dominant hand, and he bends his right wrist testily. It is unbroken but strain. He switches it back to his left; thought better of it; and switches back to his right.

"You can still walk away, Sam. You can't win me with that gimp hand," Benny told him.

Sam didn't reply. Instead, he steps forward, closing the distance between them. He is more careful this time around, taking his time to find an opening. Benny tries to back away whenever Sam comes closer, and it seems clear that he isn't going to go on the offensive if the latter doesn't make the first move. And that gives Sam some advantage. He is moving in a way that forces Benny into a corner right now, where several old, ruined and heavy-looking metal racks line side by side.

"You don't have to do this... Even Dean can't blame me for self-defence," Benny said, knowing full well what Sam is trying to do. Sam hardened his jaws as he stalks closer, standing on the balls of his feet, ready for split-second movements and reactions.

Benny maintains a position of defence, but there's something in the way that he holds himself that made him seems relax, confident. Dean was right about Benny being a good fighter. Sam can see that clearly from the brief hand-to-hand combat that he had with him earlier on. His speed is blinding and his moves are strong yet fluid. Such a fighting style and combat instinct that could only come with years of experience and practice. Sam is used to fighting enemies that are stronger and faster than he, but Benny is no typical violence-driven monster that relied solely on their supernatural powers. He is lethal.

It is too late to regret not using the dead man's blood. Though, principled as he is, Sam does not regret it, not even when he realised now that he may not make it out in one piece, if at all. He is a hunter, and more than that, he is a Winchester, who never backs down no matter how tough the opponent. If he goes down, at least he goes down swinging.

"You know, that stubbornness of yours and your brother's… That run in the family?" Benny asked humorously, seeing from those unwavering eyes that Sam has no plan for retreat.

One last step, and Benny can feel the rough, corroded wall standing solidly behind him. He lets out a small internal sigh. He shouldn't have let Sam backed him into a corner, it was an amateurish mistake - one that he has, admittedly, willingly commit. But he can no longer afford to hold back. Sam is certainly not holding back and in his current position, one wrong move and it will be his neck on the line - literally.

The hunter creeps closer still, with his machete raised in front of him. Benny lowers his stance, the fighter side of him taking main stage, and his lips are threatening to pull back to reveal his fangs.

"SAM! STOP!" A familiar voice yelled out with anxiety and distress, followed by the sound of running footsteps. Sam was distracted for a moment by the loud arrival of his brother. And within that split second, Benny seized the chance to slip past his pursuer. However, Sam is no easy opponent. With the quick reflexes of a seasoned hunter, he swings his blade to the side, and Benny is forced to swerve back to avoid its cutting edge. Sam is about to slice again, this time aiming right at his target, but Dean reaches him just in time, pulling him back from behind.

"Get off, Dean!" Sam bellowed as his pushes violently against him to shrug him off. Losing his balance from the sudden shove, Dean stumbles to the side; hit his head against a metal rack; and drops to the floor, unconscious. The unsteady line of heavy metal racks wobbles dangerously. They are going to fall – right on top of the unconscious Dean! Benny's eyes widened in horror at the scene before him. Sam, however, with his back facing the racks and his attention focused entirely on the hunt in front of him, did not notice.

With seconds to spare, Benny dashes forward, much to Sam's surprise, and his only interpretation of that move is "attack". In response, he slashes his machete at the perceived in-coming threat. The sharpened blade slices through its intended victim across his torso, but Benny grits his teeth and pushes past Sam, making a beeline towards Dean. The metal racks are leaning too far away and are already starting to fall. Benny made it just in the nick of time, holding off the shelves with his super-human strength, right before it crashes down onto his friend.

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed out-loud, finally realising the danger that his brother is in. Rushing to his side in two long strides, Sam drops his machete and frantically pulls him out of harm's way.

"Dean?!" He shook the man lightly.

Dean stirred on the ground, groaning and reaching for his head. Sam lets out a sigh of relief at his revival. He then looks up at the vampire who is attempting to push the shelves back to a standing position, but every time he uses his strength, the gash across his body throbs painfully. He stops pushing at the heavy racks that are leaning against him and pants heavily from the pain, with one arm pressing onto his bloody wound. Sam's eyes travel from the machete on the floor to the injured and vulnerable vampire. It will be too easy now, to pick up the blade and strolls up to his target, to slay the vampire who has killed all those people, who will probably kill more, and… who had just saved his brother. What he had been resolved to do, just a few seconds ago, now, it doesn't seem right somehow…

Sam froze on the spot, being caught in a dilemma. As he looks up again, his gaze meets Benny's. He can see the pain in the other's eyes cause by both the wound and the weight of the shelves. In return, Benny can see the tenaciousness leaving Sam's eyes, replaced with uncertainty and indecision. Just then, Dean groaned again from the floor and both Sam and Benny turn their attention and glance worryingly at him.

"Go," Benny grunted, and Sam looks back at him, their eyes locking for a brief moment. He has decided.

Throwing one of Dean's arm over his shoulder, he pulls him up to his feet, not forgetting to grab his machete along the way.

"S… Stop…" Dean slurred his words, looking slightly dazed and out-of-it. Even injured, he still tries to stop the fight between those two very dear people in his life.

"Hey.. alright, let's go…" Sam said reassuringly in a patronising voice. He turns to Benny one more time after straightening both him and Dean.

"This isn't over," he warned him sternly, though the fierceness and resoluteness that was lit within him at the start has largely diminished.

Benny watches them quietly as Sam helps Dean moves out of the place. He might actually like the kid if he isn't so adamant about killing him. Gathering his strength and gritting his teeth, he gave one huge push, and the shelves are lifted off his body. Benny sinks down onto the floor, breathing laboriously. The gash across his body is deep, but luckily not life-threatening, just need some AB+ in his system and he'll be back to normal.

Benny stayed on the floor for a while longer so that his body can recover enough for him to get back on his feet. He takes in a deep breath of air, tasting the place with his senses. There is no doubt now that he has to leave. He is going to miss this place.

"G'bye.. Carencro…" He says his final farewell to this place he once called home.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Really enjoyed Benny's character in the show and his camaraderie relationship with Dean~ Despite his vampire status, he gives off a really strong sense of loyalty and righteousness that makes him so likeable for me~ :)**

 **And this is probably the most action-packed story in this series! There are just so many actions - which is hard to write for me as my meagre fight-related vocab couldn't keep up with all the movements going on in my head~ Scenes that only took mere seconds to play out can take up paragraphs of words! ›.‹**

 **Writer's Random Rant (!Season 13 spoilers!): The latest episodes are just woww O,o There're sooo many highlightable moments that I don't even know where to begin.. oh wait I do – Gabriel!~!~! XD**


	23. Baby

**Summary: Story 23: Baby – A drabble about our most gorgeous Baby in Supernatural~ Words: 896**

 **Writer's Random Rant: I love summer holidays~!~! It started just as Season 13 ends~O,o Ohh and I sooo love Season 13 as a whole~ ‹3‹3‹3 The finale!~ Ahhh!~! Season 14~ Can't wait XD**

 **Rated: T**

* * *

Baby

Dean sits at the counter, sipping at a glass of whiskey as his eyes roam over the dark room. Men and women littered the place, drinking; talking; laughing.

The brothers happened to pass through this town after finishing off the last job and decided to stay the night. Sam found some interesting (according to Sam) documentary on the motel tv and was glued to the screen since. It is a typical Friday night though, so Dean happily skipped out of the dreary motel room and his nerdy brother to try his luck at the popular local bar. He deserves a break after that last successful hunt.

He is starting on his fourth shot now, but so far no luck. The crowded bar seems to be filled with mostly couples and groups of friends rather than single, attractive, available ladies. He sighs into his glass after another disappointing scan around the room. Maybe he should just call it a night and return to the motel…

As he drains the rest of the shot and turns to leave his seat, _somebody_ sat down on the stool next to his. Dean looks up in pleasant surprise. Rather than sitting next to him, it will be more accurate to say that she is sitting right in front of him, with her whole torso turned towards him, not to mention her unwavering eyes that are fixated on his face.

And her eyes… A pair of deep-set marbles that seems to glow a strange, alluring silver when viewed in certain angles. Dean thought idly of shapeshifters, whose eyes would flash an eerie silver when caught on film. Of course, hers are nothing like those scary-looking things and Dean dismissed it as some effect of her contact lenses. His assumption of the internal eyewear is also based on her dark-coloured skin, which stands in contrast with those light-coloured eyes. And her skin… Dean can see from those uncovered arms, her dark, smooth, beautiful skin that appears silky to the touch, with slightly toned muscles underneath that look strong and lean. She is dressed in all black too, with a short-sleeved black t-shirt and black jeans that covered her long legs, steady and athletic even in their stillness. All in all, she is stunning.

"Hey…" Dean leaned back against his stool as he greeted the beauty with an inviting smile.

She tilted her head slightly, but kept her silence, her eyes never moving from his face.

"You can call me Dean. What's your name?" Dean continued when she did not reply.

"… Baby," she finally said, in a medium-deep voice that sounds unintentionally seductive.

"Baby?" Dean raised his eyebrows, taking her answer as a flirtation, so he responded, "Aand.. whose 'Baby' are you?" He shifted to sit closer to her.

"Yours," she said with a straight face and Dean's smile widened. The instant he set his eyes upon her, he has felt it, the attraction that he has for this strange, beautiful woman. This is so his lucky night.

"So… What do you say we get out of here?" Dean suggested in a low voice and Baby got up from her seat, followed by Dean. He casually held her hand and lead her out to the carpark. Like what he had thought, her hand is indeed smooth and silky, and she held on to his in what he felt like a firm, trusting grip. Though, there really is no reason for her to trust him, a stranger that she'd just met for all but 5 minutes back at the bar, or so he thought.

He strolls across the car park to where his beloved Impala awaits… Wait.

"… Where's my car?" Dean stands beside an empty parking space, his previous feeling of euphoria evaporated in an instant. He lets go of the girl's hand as he strides up and down the car park. "Ok, I'm sure I parked her here.. Where is my.. Someone stole my car?! … Oh no… no… no-no-no… Baby! Where are you?!" He yelled frantically while grabbing at the roots of his hair.

"I'm here, Dean," a quiet voice said beside him.

"I'm sorry lady, this is really not the time – some son-of-a-bitch just stole my car! Oh god, Baby…" Dean bent over, clutching his side as he grew out of breath from the shock and horror of losing his one and only.

"Dean Winchester. No one stole your Baby," she told him. There was a moment of silence where Dean registered what he has just heard. He _never_ told her his last name.

Dean straightened up and back a few steps away from the woman while drawing his gun out of his back pocket.

"Who are you?" He demanded fiercely, pointing his weapon at the mysterious woman. However, she seems utterly unfazed as she stands at gunpoint, unusually calm.

"I am Baby. Yours – _Baby_ ," her eyes swivel towards the empty lot space where the Impala last stands and then back on Dean. He stares at her for a second of confusion, and then he too looks towards the empty lot and back at her. No way… His expression changes to one of disbelief as he slowly lowers his gun.

"…B..Baby?" He stuttered through the two short syllables.

"Hi, Dean," Baby said, and once again, he caught the flicker of silver glow in her eyes.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **I've first came across the idea of human!Baby on probably Facebook or somewhere similar and then recently this random bit came to mind~ Also, tho this drabble sounds like the first chapter to a longer story, I don't think it will have a sequel like "2-in-1 Brother(s)"~**


	24. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - Strictly Business

**Summary: Story 24: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Strictly Business, Sequel!** _ **[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,879**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18, 20 & 21 before continuing with this one.**

 **Fun fact: This chapter's title is inspired by ep9x13 "The Purge"  
** _ **Dean: "You said that you wanted to keep things strictly business. …"  
**_ _ **Sam: "I wanted to keep things strictly business between us. …"**_

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) – Strictly Business

Background: Dean moved back to the bunker after Garth's werewolf case (ep9x12: "Sharp Teeth"), though Sam made it clear that it is going to be strictly business as all is not forgiven.  
*Note: Unlike the canon timeline, Dean has not yet received the Mark of Cain.

* * *

There are two sets of footsteps going around the bunker now. Two bodies, three entities.

Despite the additional being, the bunker remains rather quiet. As established by Sam since the beginning of Dean's return, they are now mere acquaintances.. colleagues.. working partners at best. Thus, the conversations between them have been specifically narrowed down to, a) research findings regarding Gadreel and Abaddon and b) possible hunt-related news. And since there weren't any significant breakthrough with research, their interactions remain at a minimal. The silence isn't filled with dissent and hostility, but nor is it peaceful and calm. It is an uneasy truce of mutual understanding, that things are not the same any more. And somehow, the little things are the ones that tell the most…

 _Sam walks into the kitchen bright and early one morning, with Dean already there, drinking a second bottle of chilled beer and eating greasy bacon. Sam makes himself a cup of coffee and left without a single word…_

 _Dean passes by the library late one night and notices Sam still flipping the pages of a research material while yawning and rubbing his eyes in clear exhaustion. Dean hesitated and then casts his gaze down and continues on towards his room, chewing on his lips the whole way back..._

The change in atmosphere around the bunker cannot be more obvious. However, it did not change the fact that all of its inhabitants are internally glad of Dean's return.

Dean has missed his room. It felt absolutely great to be back on his own bed, sleeping more soundly and comfortably than he ever did for the past few weeks on the road. This is the comfort of home. As for Sam, he has felt more peaceful and at ease of mind knowing that his brother is under the safety of the warded bunker, even though he doesn't show it on the outside. Dean may be made unaware of Sam's true feelings as he is presented with mostly his aloofness but Cas, of course, knows. As a friend of both the boys, he is indubitably delighted that this arrangement provides the first step towards reconciliation. And most importantly, they are all united once more against those serious, external threats.

* * *

Dean sits at the kitchen table with a bottle of ice cold beer. It was 2am, in the wee hours of the day when he was woken by a nightmare, which also happened to be a past reality - Kevin, with his burnt-out eyes and smoke rising up from its dark, empty sockets… He has stumbled into the kitchen with a still pounding heart and slightly shaky hands. Grabbing a bottle right out of the fridge, he drained half of it in one shot, as though hoping that the booze could drown out that horrible image inside his head. He still feels dreadful, tired and nauseous, but the cooling liquid did have the calming effect that he has hoped for. With one last tip, the bottle is emptied to its brim. Dean was about to get up from his seat when he sees a shadow moving on the wall of the corridor. A second later, Sam walks in and, much to Dean's surprise sits down on the opposite side of the table where he's at. What's more, he is looking right at him, unwaveringly, with the kind of warmth in his eyes that has been absent for… yea.. too long.

"Hey," Dean said, in what he intended to be a casual tone.

"Dean, it's me," Cas replied and Dean was again taken by surprise, followed by a twinge of disappointment that he quickly pushed away. This is the first time that he is speaking face to face with Castiel since the grace extraction.

"Cas? Why are you..? Is Sam ok?" He asked in concern.

"Sam is fine. He's sleeping now. We decided it is more efficient this way, that I continue with the research when he sleeps," Cas explained, and Dean could hear Cas in Sam's voice.

"Ah… Oh, and uh, how's the healing going?" Dean inquired.

"It's going well. I will be able to heal him completely, but it'll take some time," Cas said, and Dean nodded in relief. "How are you, Dean?" Cas asked, and that look of warmth and concern appears again on Sam's face.

"I'm great. …Awesome," Dean lied with a brief smile as he gets up to dispose the empty bottle into the bin.

Castiel sighs. He has heard Dean muttering in his sleep - _"No… no!… I'm sorry… I'm sorry, kid… so sorry…"._ Like Sam, he is far from being over Kevin's death and, even more than Sam, he blames himself for it. Cas stood up and he walks over to Dean, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We will find Gadreel. And we will kill Abaddon. We can do this, Dean. You, Sam, and I," he fixes him with a serious and determined gaze that invites comfort and confidence.

Dean smiled a genuine smile this time. "Yes, we will. Thanks, Cas," he said.

"You should sleep now," Cas told him as he lifts his hand from his shoulder. Unknown to Dean, he has just given him a little help with that sleep by making it a dreamless one.

Dean makes his way back to his room while Cas heads towards the library. It was nice, for Dean, to have this talk with Cas; to have a chat that isn't "strictly business"; and to not have to be mindful of his tone and every word, worrying about saying things that will rub the wrong way. Dean isn't used to being self-conscious in his own home, and definitely not around Sam. Thus, this new, awkward "work relationship" that he has to keep up with is nothing short of exhausting. How long is this going to last? Over the years, the brothers have had countless fights, big and small; serious and petty; verbal and physical. But none of them had been un-patchable… yet. Will this be the one then? The one that brings them to the point of no return?

* * *

Dean's POV

The next day, Sam didn't mention anything about his agreement with Cas, and Dean followed his example by not asking. Though, he does wonders if Sam is even aware of his encounter with the angel the night before. Dean thought to ask Cas about it when he meets him that night. But he didn't. Nor did he see him the following night, or the one after that. Perhaps it is due to coincidence that Sam goes to bed after Dean does. Or maybe he just didn't sleep much. Dean also isn't intentionally staying up, waiting for Sam to fall asleep first just so that he can meet with Cas. It is not like he has anything important to say to him, and it feels so needy if he does that, simply for a friendly chat that he is clearly devoided of from the current Sam. Thus, Dean hasn't been speaking to Cas. But Sam certainly is.

Dean doesn't know if Sam is doing this on purpose, but it is extremely frustrating that they are having those internal conversations, successfully excluding him from their talks and also not filling him in. And Dean knows it when they are conversing because of the unfocused look in Sam's eyes. Moreover, they weren't all work-related talks either, as he can see from the relaxed smiles and open expressions on Sam's face. It is, truly, annoying to a large extent - a very, _very_ large extent. Out of 10 times when he caught Sam at it, he only asked him about it 4 times, and always hedging his bets during those 4 times, only speaking up when Sam seems to be in a better mood. And out of those 4 times, Sam maybe answered him twice, vaguely, while shrugging off the rest as "nothing much" or "not important". And the git probably knows how much this ticks him off, and if that is what he's trying to do, congratulations Sammy! - Mission accomplished.

* * *

Sam's POV

Firstly, Sam knows. It has been agreed that Sam will have access to all the memories that Cas had while manoeuvring his body, with the intent of sharing all of their research findings with each other. Therefore, Sam is well aware of Cas's encounter with Dean, as Cas finds no reason to hide it. Albeit aware, Sam does not know the specifics of that conversation, even though he could if he wants to. It is like viewing a painting from afar – you can see the full detail if you choose to step up to it. And Sam, reciprocating the same courtesy that Cas has extended to him, chose not to pry on the private conversation between the two friends.

Secondly, he did not bring up his arrangement with Cas to Dean, in accordance with the "strictly business" status between them. Sam isn't petty and unforgiving, it's just that this time, Dean really crossed the line. Mixed within the anger, there is also disappointment. After all these time, after going through so much, Sam had thought that finally, Dean began to see him as an equal instead of the kid brother that he has to constantly watch out for. The recent incident made him realised that that was just him being optimistically presumptuous. Dean has had plenty of chances to come clean before the bubble pops, and yet he didn't. He does not see him as equal, nor respect his choice and his will, and especially in light of the consequences, it is all too much... to forgive.

Thirdly, he definitely did _not_ ban Cas from talking to Dean or even express any sense of displeasure about it. It is between Dean and him that has a problem. Cas need not be dragged into their drama, and Sam is not so childish as to make it any more difficult for their best friend. The poor angel isn't exactly proficient when it comes to "people skills", and it is hard enough as it is, to stand in between the conflicting brothers while trying to solve world-ending issues. Therefore, Sam did not try to keep Cas away from Dean, though… he did feel a mild sense of satisfaction when he sees Dean being silently annoyed at the overt exclusion.

* * *

After the initial days of settling in and getting used to the new tone of their relationship, Sam did relax a little on his attitude towards Dean, and their interactions become more natural and relaxed. Dean even found a possible case for them in Stillwater, Minnesota. Going on the road, working a case, it is one of the only few activities that they can pursue together now under Sam's new terms. Also, a nice and healthy hunting trip may be just what they need right now. Thus, the two hunters and an angel hopped on the Impala and drove off towards the "Land of 10,000 Lakes".

* * *

 **Side note: In the show (unlike in this chapter), Dean found the Stillwater case a day after returning to the bunker.**


	25. 2-in-1 Brother(s) - Thoughts & Feelings

**Summary: Story 25: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Thoughts & Feelings, Sequel! **_**[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,953**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18, 20, 21, 24 before continuing with this one.**

 **This chapter is basically an AU of that last scene in episode 9x13 "The Purge".**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s): Thoughts & Feelings

Background: The brothers ended their Stillwater hunt successfully and have returned to the bunker.

* * *

Dean sits at the kitchen, chilling, with a post-hunt scotch. Sam walks in to put something into the fridge and Dean watches him with his periphery vision.

The hunt went well - the bad monster dead and the good one sent away. There are still frictions between them but when they hunt, it feels very much like they were back to normal, to how they used to be.

"I'm hitting it," Sam said as he is leaving the kitchen, the awkwardness becomes apparent again however, now that they are alone.

"Yeah. Hey," Dean called out and Sam turns around.

"Yeah?"

"About what you said the other day," Dean began, the alcohol playing a part in his speaking up.

"I thought it didn't bother you," Sam raised his eyebrows as he leans against the exit. Dean ignored the jibe.

"You know, Sam, I saved your hide back there. And I saved your hide at that church... And the hospital. I may not think things all the way through. Okay? But what I do, I do because it's the right thing. I'd do it again," he said, softly but surely, and he took another sip of his booze.

Sam heaves a sigh of vexation.

"And that... is the problem. You think you're my saviour, my brother, the hero. You swoop in, and even when you mess up, you think what you're doing is worth it because you've convinced yourself you're doing more good than bad... But you're not," he spurted while Dean stares at him blankly.

"I mean, Kevin's dead, Crowley's in the wind. We're no closer to beating this angel thing. Please tell me, what is the upside of me being alive," Sam asked rhetorically.

"You kidding me?" Dean said in exasperation, "You and me - fighting the good fight together."

Sam rolls his eyes, sighing, as he turns his back and made to leave. It is so frustrating that Dean doesn't get it. At all. He almost left but then swung himself around in the end, deciding to explain. He sits down across from Dean, who draws back unconsciously from the clearly agitated man.

"Okay. Just once, be honest with me. You didn't save me for me. You did it for you," Sam told him.

"What are you talkin' about?" Dean exclaimed in absolute confusion as he looks intently at Sam, trying to comprehend.

"I was ready to die. I was ready. I should have died, but you... You didn't want to be alone, and that's what all this boils down to. You can't stand the thought of being alone," Sam said it straight, with no sugar-coating whatsoever. And Dean looks away upon understanding what Sam has been trying to say. He swings his legs around and stands up, getting away from the table, from Sam.

"All right," he said in a tone that indicates he is aborting this conversation. So much for wanting a non-work related talk. But Sam isn't done just yet. Dean's attitude isn't unexpected, but it certainly didn't help with Sam's displeasure towards him.

"I'll give you this much. You are certainly willing to do the sacrificing as long as you're not the one being hurt," Sam continued mercilessly. _Stupid, stubborn, self-righteous jerk..._ \- are just a few of the adjectives Sam has in mind right now for his not-brother.

"All right, you want to be honest? If the situation were reversed and I was dying, you'd do the same thing," Dean said matter-of-factly, jumping back into the conversation.

There was a short pause as Sam casts his gaze down in contemplation.

"No, Dean. I wouldn't," he countered in a quiet voice.

He looks up and sees Dean stunned into silence at his declaration.

"Same circumstances...I wouldn't. I'm gonna get to bed," he concluded and then slowly got up and left the kitchen. The last image of Dean that he has was one of shock and hurt. A twisted sense of satisfaction stirred within him at that thought, no doubt born out of anger and annoyance.

Sam stretches out across his bed with a humph. And gradually, another emotion emerges. The look of undisguisable hurt upon Dean's face that resulted from his words was real, and deep.

Since that night when he found out about everything, he had said certain... things. Things that hurt; things that cut real deep. But what he said back there in the kitchen, it was way below the belt. He will not take back his words, though he does feel a little sorry now, thinking of Dean's dumbfounded expression. Just then, he felt a resonance of that pity from within him.

"Just say it, Cas." Sam sighed, shutting his eyes. He can feel the angel stirring inside him.

[Sam. That.. was a lie.] Cas said, with a hint of question.

[No, it wasn't.] Sam replied, and Cas couldn't detect a deception in his words. He could, however, distinguish the anger and disappointment.

Is it possible for emotions to trump the truth? To lie to oneself so expertly that one doesn't even recognise the lie? Even with the first-hand experience a while back, Cas couldn't fully understand the complexities of human's thoughts and feelings. For example, Sam clearly still loves his brother despite the existing conflict, and Sam isn't a vicious person. So, why does he obtain joy from the pain that he caused through those hurtful words? Also, why is that joy infused with regret and sympathy that he simultaneously justified, thus lessened, as Dean's own doing? Why would Sam intentionally inflict pain upon Dean when it hurts himself to see him so? Humans are indeed complicated creatures...

[Even so... That was.. a little harsh.] Cas commented, and Dean's face flashes again before their eyes.

[Hmm...] Sam sighs thoughtfully. [Goodnight, Cas.] He then said abruptly, ending the conversation.

[Goodnight, Sam.] Cas replied and fades from his awareness.

It wasn't a good night though. Sam toss and turn in his bed, unable to fall asleep. He tries not to think, not to feel, but... that didn't really work out. And he is also not.. definitely _not_ \- waiting, listening out for Dean's footsteps that pass by his door when he goes to his own room. He didn't hear it though. The footsteps that he is definitely not listening out for. Nor did he hear the closing of a room door, or a heavy metal door.

2 hours pass by and Cas finally took pity of the restless man and quietly guides him to sleep. As Sam settles deeper into unconsciousness, Cas steps up to take control of his vessel.

He got off the bed and out the door, and he strides purposefully along the bunker's corridors. With a last turn of a corner, he reaches his destination. The sight of a silent man enters his vision, standing exactly where Sam had left him with a cold, empty glass in his hand, and an even colder heart.

"Dean," Cas called out softly as he walks into the kitchen. The man looks up with a start and a mask of guarded nonchalance scrambles to take form on his face.

"It's me. Sam's asleep," he said, and Dean relaxes a little.

"Cas, hey," Dean greeted and placed his glass down at the counter. "... What?" He said self-consciously as Cas stares at him wordlessly with a mix of worry and sympathy upon his face.

"How are you, Dean?" Cas asked with a serious expression.

Dean opens his mouth and then closes it again without making a sound. The usual lie of "I'm fine" seems harder to come out than usual.

"... Anyway... *Clears throat* How's the uh, healing?" Dean asked in an obvious attempt to change the topic.

"There has been progress, but I will need more time. The damage was at an atomical level. His cells are already regenerating at a regular rate. Once all of his organs stabilizes, I will be able to continue the healing from the outside," Cas explained while Dean nodded appreciatively.

Just then, Cas's eyes go out of focus and he presses two fingers on his temple with a look of concentration.

"Cas...?" Dean places a hand on his shoulder. He has seen Cas this way before when he was listening out for the angel radio.

"I'm ok," Cas straightened up after a moment.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"Angels. They are forming factions among themselves, quicker than I expect..." Cas said broodingly.

"Is that bad?" Dean guessed from Cas's worried expression.

"Some of the factions are getting... aggressive towards each other as they compete to garner followers..."

"So, we got angels on angels?" Dean sighed heavily. Fallen angels had not been one of his major concerns for a while now, with Gadreel, Metatron and Abaddon taking the top spots. But now that the angels are on the move, they may potentially be yet another hot potato in his already overflowing plate.

"I will keep a look out on the situation. Hopefully, they will come to a peaceful resolution before a full-on war," Cas said with pinched eyebrows.

"War?" Dean repeated in mild surprise.

"I sincerely hope it wouldn't come to that," Cas replied gravely in a lowered tone of Sam's usual voice.

They then went on to discuss the possibility of an angel war on earth and it's various implications. And also more importantly, what they can do about it.

"... I will discuss this with Sam when he awakes," Cas said, after going through various scenarios with Dean.

"Yeah... yeah, you do that," Dean replied. And now that Cas mentioned Sam's name, it jumps back to the front of his mind again, those piercing words and icy proclamation.

"And uh, Cas..." Dean began, and then stopped. He was going to ask him about Sam. Did he really mean what he said? Will he never forgive him again? Is there anything that he can do to salvage the situation? To regain that trust, that warmth? Anything at all?

"... No, actually, I was just wondering, about the angels..." Looking at Sam's face, he decided that he couldn't bring himself to verbalize those questions after all. Chicken out, at the last second.

He is afraid. Afraid of the answers. Afraid of the truth. If the truth is what he was told it is, maybe it will be better if he doesn't know, to at least have the benefit of a doubt.

Dean and Cas exchanged a few more words regarding the angel situation before Dean lets out an uncontrollable, drawn-out yawn.

"I'll keep you updated about the angels," Cas said in dismissal.

"Alright. Night, Cas." Dean stretches his limbs wearily as he walks towards the exit.

Castiel watches his friend as he goes. He was not oblivious to the way that Dean stopped short of his real queries. He also understands some of the conflicts in his heart. But can he tell him how Sam did not mean what he said when Sam has denied it himself? Is it appropriate for him to do so? Or will he be making things worse between them? His desire to help, to lessen his friend's pain, clashes with his uncertainty of the situation.

"Dean," he called out and the man looks back at him from the exit.

"The heart heals as the body does - it takes time," Cas said in a measured, meaningful tone.

Dean stares at him for a moment as he takes in what he said.

"Goodnight," Cas said.

Dean gave an awkward nod and then turns to leave, looking unsure of what to make of that vague statement.

* * *

 **Next chap will be focusing on Cas and Sam again as they try to resolve the issue of the fallen angels.**

 **Writer's Random Rant: The holiday is passing by in a flash~ ›‹**


	26. I See You

**Summary: Story 26: I See You *enters creepy music*–** **Tag: Season 14, Drabble! Inspired by the latest episode (14x02) Don't want to give away spoilers, so some not-yet-canon assumptions that I've made to this story will be written inside instead of here~** **Words: 461**

 **Assumptions: 1) Michael is pretending to be Dean all along since the end of episode 2, Dean never got to regain control of his body 2) Lucifer resides in Nick but Nick is unaware**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

I See You

A door opens and closes. The room is dimly lit, a single-sized bed stand erected in the middle, within a large devil's trap that is drawn on the floor.

A shadow looms over the sleeping man, stopping right beside the bed.

"I can see you..." A flash of blue emits from Dean's eyes, or at the moment - Michael's.

The archangel leans down to hover near the head of the unconscious Nick.

"You hid well," he whispered into his ear. "Shrivelling up in there like the rat that you are. You can fool Castiel and the humans, but you can't fool me... _Lucifer_ ," Michael said darkly while Nick remains still on the bed, no signs of having heard him.

Michael has successfully sneaked into the bunker under the disguise of Dean. He was surprised when he first saw Nick among the bunker's many residents because, though weak and diminished, he can still sense the faint swirl of grace that is well-concealed within the vessel. Lucifer is hiding from, and behind, his human host as he recuperates within him. And just like Michael, he has managed to go under Castiel's radar - the perks of being an archangel.

"I would have ended you right here right now but..." Michael trailed off. His 'Dean' cover will be exposed if he kills Lucifer along with his vessel, and that will ruin his perfect plan to get into the bunker in the first place. "Your very presence befouls my air, but I have more important things, so you'll live… for now - you powerless, pathetic piece of crap. You-are-at-my-mercy," he made sure to articulate that last five words clearly and with emphasis.

As evident, the current Lucifer is of no threat to him at all. There is nothing that Lucifer can do or say while being intimidated and humiliated like he just was. In fact, there was no need at all to inform him of his knowledge of his existence, but the chance is too good to miss. He knew Lucifer, both in his world and this. Proud and egoistic, it will be the most condescending thing for Lucifer to be recognised in his current state, having been reduced to such a feeble existence. And this is exactly why Michael decided to enter this room tonight, even going through the trouble of avoiding detection and taking the (minimal) risk of getting caught by people in the bunker – to see Lucifer suffer under his hands (words).

"So, I guess I just want to say – _I see you_ ," he threw in a last line before leaving with a smirk on his face.

As the door swings shut, a silent tear slips out of Nick's eye and rolled down onto the sheets…...

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Woo Season 14!~! XD Awesome start with the first 2 episodes and so many possibilities and directions for the season going forward! This drabble is just based on one of those possibilities that came to my mind after watching the latest episode and reading several fans' speculations~**

 **Writer's Random Rant: There are at least 2 one-shot ideas that I have before this one but haven't written them out ›‹ So many deadlines in the next few wks… Arggg project work x3 is so time-consuming! Hope to be done with them soon… Anw, next chapter will most likely be 2-in-1 Brother(s) sequel~ Have a good wkend all! ^^**


	27. 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Meet The Angel Squad

**Summary: Story 27: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Meet The Angel Squad, Sequel!** _ **[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,837**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18, 20, 21, 24 & 25 before continuing with this one.**

 **This chapter (and the next) is basically an AU of episode 9x14 "Captives".**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) - Meet The Angel Squad

Sam walks into the War Room where Dean sits, his usual duffel bag slinging over one shoulder.

"Hey," he announced his presence.

"Hey... Going somewhere?" Dean asked as he takes in his travel attire.

"Cas and I talked about it - we're going to check on the angel situation," Sam informed him.

"Ah. Alright, gimme 5 minutes..." Dean pushed himself off his seat, already in the momentum to grab his stuff and go.

"No..." Sam cut him off, "Cas and I will go, you can carry on with research," Sam said to a surprised Dean.

"Sam, those are some seriously pissed-off angels you're up against, you may need back-up," Dean tried to reason after getting over the shock of being benched in this matter.

"We're not there to fight. We'll be on-the-ground to observe the situation and maybe talk to some of Cas's friends..." Sam explained, but Dean looks like he still wants to argue.

"We don't exactly have a good reputation in heaven - as you know. It's best if you stay back on this," Sam said quickly before Dean could make a comeback.

"I'll call if there's anything important," Sam adjusted his sling to hang more securely over his shoulder and then turned to leave.

Dean stands stiffly in the middle of the War Room, suddenly alone. Whatever Sam has said made perfect, logical sense, but Dean still can't shake off the paranoia that Sam, personally, didn't want him there.

Dean glances at the mountain of books on the table with deadbeat eyes. He can't believe he is stuck here with research while the two get to go out and stretch their legs.

Suddenly, he felt a buzzing from his back pocket, followed by his ringtone. Thinking that it may be Sam changing his mind, he whipped out his phone with a hopeful heart. As he glances at the blinking screen, he feels a momentary disappointment, and then a curious surprise. The blinking screen displays an ominous group of three flashy numbers - "666"...

* * *

Cas stands at a distance from the solemn crowd around a fresh grave. Even the bright sun is unable to reach their gloomy hearts as they said their last farewell. The crowd dispersed at the end of the ceremony and Cas made his move.

Sam watches as Cas confronted the one angel among them. Fortunately, he looks to be more sad and scared than contentious. The name "Bartholomew" seems like the biggest take away from this conversation. Cas has got history with that guy.

[Cas, you know this Bartholomew?] Sam asked after they parted with the angel. He decided it is more polite to ask him straight than poke around in his memories, searching for answers.

[Yes. He was a good soldier, brave and skilled. He helped me fought Raphael during heaven's civil war.] Cas told him. And although they were all words of praise, Sam could sense some reservation that Cas has towards his former comrade. Moreover, the angel they talked to before has labelled him a "monster" - ruthless in his ways of eliminating opposing factions, even the harmless and peaceful ones. Before Sam could question further, however, two angels appeared, blocking their way.

Castiel immediately gets into a defensive position, sliding his angel blade into his palm.

"Our boss has been looking for you," one of them said.

"Who sent you?" Cas asked.

"Bartholomew," he answered. Both Cas and Sam gave a start and Cas hesitated. He wants to meet him. There are so many questions, but he is at the same time concern about Sam's safety. If he gets killed, Sam dies too. He tightens his grip on his angel blade.

[Cas, you should meet him.] Sam advised.

[It is too risky. There will be many more of Bartholomew's man at his facility.] Cas replied. He cannot say for sure if his former friend will not want him dead, like so many of his brothers and sisters, and he couldn't risk it with Sam.

[We've been out here for days, Cas. It will be useful to talk to one of the faction leaders. We can always bail if things go sideways.] Sam is almost certain that if Cas is alone, he would go. Besides, he, too, felt it is time they meet this infamous angel.

[Alright, then...] Castiel conceded in the end.

* * *

"His blade," Bartholomew stated, and an angel hands it over.

"Standard security protocol. Can't be too careful these days," Bartholomew explained.

"Hello, Bartholomew," Cas greeted.

To Sam's surprise, the other angel breaks into a big, welcoming smile.

"Castiel," he called out familiarly, and both of them went in for a hug.

"It has been too long," Bartholomew sighed into his shoulder.

He led Cas to sit in the waiting room and then gave him a sweeping look from head to toe.

"You know, for many after the fall, it took a while to find a human vessel. There are few that are strong enough to hold us. But you... You've got _Sam Winchester_ to say 'yes'. One of the strongest vessels there is..." he said in awe.

"No... This is a temporary arrangement. I will be returning to my own vessel at an appropriate time," Cas told him.

"Oh, well, regardless... Not every angel gets a chance to try on Lucifer's true vessel," Bartholomew said in a slight flattery and envious tone before moving on to another topic. Cas does not see it this way, of course, but there isn't much point explaining to angels like Bartholomew, so he let it pass.

Sam listens in as the two angels reminisced their past battle experiences.

"Madness, wasn't it? A puny force of 20 behind enemy lines, launching an incursion against Raphael and his loyalists," Bartholomew recounted with bright eyes.

"It was a calculated risk," Cas said humbly.

"I thought you'd gone insane, and I questioned your leadership, second-guessed every step of the campaign. But you were my commander. I held my tongue. I followed orders. Raphael fled. Most of his loyalists, dead or captured. Your gambit paid off. You... _Won_ ," his voice was filled with awe and respect.

" _We_ won," Cas corrected him.

Sam always knew that Cas is a good fighter and has once led an army of angels against the archangel Raphael, but he never really thought of him as a master strategist - until now.

"Word of your victory spread. You got called back to the garrison. You became the great Castiel... While I stayed behind, just a grunt," he ended bitterly.

"You gained a reputation for yourself, as well. The captives I left in your care, you tortured and killed them," Castiel narrowed his eyes in clear displeasure and even some accusation.

"I was ordered to kill those captives. You've been flying solo for so long, you've forgotten that's what angels do. We follow orders," Bartholomew said in a defensive voice and the air between them was suddenly charged with an uncomfortable static.

"Not you, though. Not anymore," Cas reminded him.

The faction leader stood up on his feet and stared down at Cas, who has remained on his seat but peers up at him unwaveringly.

"That's right. I give them," he said with pride.

Sam tenses at how quickly this conversation has deteriorated. However, to his relief, Bartholomew did not seem too offended by Cas's attitude as he invites him to tour his facility.

"... Realizing they were more trouble than they were worth, we purged our human allies, then commandeered Boyle Ministries, Inc. for our own use," he said as they walk.

"Buddy Boyle. So, you killed him," Cas inferred.

"No. We made him and his colleagues vessels. At least those who didn't go "pop"," he replied lackadaisically.

The more Sam hears him speak, the more apparent it becomes, just how little regards he has towards human lives.

"You nervous, Castiel?" Bartholomew asked when he noticed Cas looking warily at the other angels in the facility.

"Your followers want me dead. I'm not entirely certain you don't, too," Cas said bluntly.

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead," he told him.

"So, we're friends here?" Cas asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Bartholomew replied matter-of-factly.

"And I'm free to go?" Cas asked again.

"Of course. Though, I don't know why you would. What's out there for you, Castiel? What do you really expect to accomplish on your own? You'll never find Metatron that way," he said in a persuasive manner.

"How'd you know about Metatron?" Cas wondered.

"I figured that's why you were pursuing Rebecca, engaging with her follower. We have different methods, Cas, but we want the same thing - to find Metatron and restore our kind to heaven," he assured him.

"Then why kill Rebecca and her followers? They're no threat to you," Cas could not understand him.

"Perhaps, but better to nip a fledgeling faction in the bud than let it grow into a bigger threat down the road. A drop of blood to save a gallon," Bartholomew reasoned - the old justification of killing " _for the greater good_ ".

"I don't agree," Cas said, and Sam is with Cas on this matter.

"I'm not asking you to. I will outrace Malachi in the hunt for Metatron, and I will certainly outrace you on your own. But if you can set aside your qualms about methods for one second, there's no reason the two of us can't take him down. Together," he said fervently.

Bartholomew then led Cas into an office with a large map on the wall and bright red dots marking several spots.

Castiel's interest peaked when told that the red dots represent sightings of Metatron on earth.

"He's been on earth?" He inquired.

"Three times we know of so far. That's the benefit of a massive ground operation. Eyes and ears everywhere. It's only a matter of time before we get an active location," Bartholomew said hopefully.

"Why wait? With this kind of information, I'd lure him out," Cas said.

"I knew you'd be an asset. No one's as motivated as you to take him down. I've had my hands so full with the factions, it's distracted me from the real goal. But with you by my side - the new boss and the ultimate rebel working together - think of the message that would send to would-be dissidents. They'd finally understand that resistance is futile. Think of the bloodshed we could avert... What a united angelkind could accomplish in heaven... Elsewhere," Bartholomew openly recruited.

Just then, the doors open and the two angels that brought them here drag in a third and put him on a chair - it's the angel from the funeral. Bartholomew went down on one knee and puts an angel blade to his throat.

"Bart, what are you doing?" Cas cautioned.

"What needs to be done. I'm gonna torture the rebel, find out what he knows, then kill him. And you're going to help," he said.

Cas and Sam watch in dismay as the torture-interrogation begins.

* * *

 **Writer's Random Rant: 3 group presentations+reports in these 2 wks, urg! X{ 3 different modules/topics in 3 different countries… Why can't any of them be on the Supernatural world? I'll probably be smiling throughout the project instead of being annoyed and bored to death from all the research and slides-making... Gd thing there's at least a new episode to look forward to every week to sustain me through till the end of sem~**


	28. 2-in-1 Brother(s) – End Fight, Start War

**Summary: Story 28: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – End The Fight, Start The War, Sequel!** ** _[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]_** **Words: 1,633**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25 & 27 before continuing with this one.**

 **This chapter is basically an AU of episode 9x14 "Captives".**

 **Ps: There's a word limit to the chapter title drop list so below is the full title.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) – End The Fight, Start The War

"... I told you. They're dead. I'm the last," the bloodied angel repeated breathlessly.

"Can't you see he's telling the truth? He's done," Cas couldn't stand to keep silent any more.

"Yes, I believe he is," Bartholomew said coolly. Then, he straightens up and holds out the angel blade to Castiel.

"Now finish him off," he instructed.

"Bartholomew, it doesn't need to be like this," Cas said with a heavy heart as he feels the weight of the angel blade in his hand. And Sam feels his pain and anguish towards angels killing angels.

"Castiel, get your head out of the sand. Do you know why they brought you back from the battlefield? The truth?" Bartholomew went back to their earlier conversation.

"Yes, I know the truth," Cas's eyes darkened as his conversations and experiences with Naomi came to mind.

[No...] Sam uttered in stunned horror as he registers Cas's memories.

Cas is taken aback by the abrupt intensification of Sam's emotion, but this is no time to address that.

"… Our leaders wanted those captives killed, and they knew you'd stand in the way of their order. Said you didn't have it in you. That you couldn't do what needed to be done. But I know different. I know you've changed," Bartholomew continued saying.

"I'm not a murderer," Cas declared fiercely, hearing the implications of his words.

"You weren't. Not then. But since then, you've slaughtered thousands of angels. You killed Malachi's man for his Grace..."

"Who I was, what I did, that's not who I am," Cas said fervently while Sam nodded vigorously at the (in)side. It still pains Cas to recall the massacre that he had committed after consuming the leviathans and also, every other angel kill when he was not. The blood of his own kind stained his hands and it is the kind of pain that runs even deeper and sharper than what he had suffered under Naomi's drills.

"No? Then who are you? I want to work with you, Castiel, but I need proof. They need proof that they were wrong. That you can do what has to be done. This has to be done," Bartholomew pressured.

Castiel looks up at the angel that he has once considered friend.

"I was never free to leave. My only choice was to obey or be killed," Cas realised. He backs away a little, gripping the angel blade tighter in his hand, but still pointing it towards the ground, "I don't want to hurt you. Just let us go," Cas requested.

"I am truly sorry to hear that," Bartholomew sighed, and then swings around to stab the captive angel in the heart.

"No!" Cas yelled as he steps forward but is blocked by the two angel minions. The angel's grace flashes within him for the last time and then he died. Cas's face fell as the vessel turned still and lifeless.

"As your refusal makes perfectly clear, you always thought you were better than me," Bartholomew loosens his tie as he said, "Shall we put your superiority to the test once and for all?" He asked rhetorically before swinging two fists into Cas's jaw.

"No. Angels fighting angels has to stop," Cas said with a bruised face. Still, his blade is unraised, hoping that his sincerity will be enough to stop him. However, as Bartholomew leans away to pick up another angel blade, Castiel is forced to acknowledge that he is beyond reason.

As he lunges with the blade, Cas grabs his arm in restraint.

"No. I don't care if I die, but I won't let you hurt Sam," he told him firmly, increasing the pressure of his grip.

"Stand down! This is between me and the rebel," Bartholomew ordered when his two followers came forward, ready to help. The two halted in their steps.

Cas is clearly stronger and better skilled. As the fight continues, he disarms his opponent and does a trick move to trap him into an armlock, with his angel blade to his throat. Bartholomew's followers stare wide-eyed at their leader, a mere second away from death, but they stood their ground, as ordered.

"To the victor. Do it," Bartholomew said with forced gusto as he lost his fight and pride before his minions. Castiel glances at the two stony-faced angels and then lowered his gaze.

"No," Cas said, letting him go.

Sam understands why Cas spared the angel, but he couldn't help thinking that it might be a very bad idea.

"What are you now? A penitent?" Bartholomew asked from the ground.

"I'm nothing," Cas said in a monotone while Sam couldn't disagree more.

"You never did understand, Castiel. There can be no peace without bloodshed." Bartholomew draws another angel blade from inside his coat and pounces at Cas from behind. With his razor-sharp senses, Cas dodges the attack and with an agile twist, he stabs him with his own blade, and left him cold on the ground.

Castiel averted his eyes from the corpse as he turns to leave.

"Let me pass," he said in a low, tired voice and the two angels gave way to the weary survivor.

Sam stayed silent as they stepped out of the facility. He has never seen Cas so down before. He ought to say something to comfort his friend, but there are just so many things… that he doesn't really know where to start. Thus, Sam stayed silently by Cas's side as he tries to gather his thoughts on the flood of new information.

How did they come to this? Castiel lamented, grieving for his fallen ex-comrade and the whole of angelkind. Once heaven's honourable holy hosts now turned against each other, with nought mercy or love. Before he knows it, he finds himself back in the cemetery, standing before the grave of Darlene Foster, or Rebecca, for Cas's case. His grief intensifies at the sight before him.

[Cas...] Sam began softly, solemnly. He couldn't stand feeling what Cas feels and not say anything anymore.

"I'm sorry," Cas sighs, taking Sam by surprise.

[...What?] Sam blurted – Cas has just stolen his line and also, why is he apologising?

[I shouldn't have brought you to Bartholomew and put you in harm's way. I'm sorry, Sam.] Cas apologised fully, thinking particularly about how he has let Bart pounded on Sam's face at the beginning of the fight.

[No, Cas, I wanted you to go. And I'm glad we did. We need to know...]

[How far the angels have fallen, because of me.] Cas completed his sentence. And indeed the angels have fallen - in every sense of the word.

[... to know the situation.] Sam finished his own sentence. [What the other angels choose to do, that's not on you.]

[Yes, it is. I helped Metatron cast the angels out of heaven, creating this chaos that I couldn't fix. And now Rebecca, and hundreds of innocent angels have to pay the price for what I've done.] Cas eyes darkened with guilt and sadness as he looks down upon the grave.

[You didn't know... Metatron tricked you, it wasn't your fault, it was his. And we will find him, Cas. We will make him fix heaven, and we will make him pay for what he has done to the angels, what he has done to you...] And something came to his mind just as he said this.

[I'm fine, Sam.] Cas replied in advance, knowing what he has recalled from their previous encounter.

[You should have told us... What Naomi did... It's unforgivable.] Sam said with sympathy, and an undercurrent of rage rose within him when he thought of the horrendous things that she had done to Cas.

[She is dead, Metatron killed her. It's over.] Cas said in a calmer tone.

[I know.] Sam replied, though her death did little to soothe his anger... and guilt. Admittedly, he has a lot going on with the trials and all, but he still felt bad for not doing more for his friend. [Cas... What did you mean that _"you(I) don't care if you(I) die"_...?] Sam asked delicately, quoting him from before. The angel didn't reply.

[I know things are not going well right now, but we will fight it. Together.] Sam told him. [You're like a brother to me, Cas. _I care_ if you live or die and you should too. You're not _"nothing"_. You're _family_. You know that Cas, right?] He said with slight agitation, leaving Castiel a little dazed and speechless at the moment.

Just then, a hand drops on Cas's shoulder. It is one of the angels that was in the room with them when Bartholomew died.

"I don't want to fight. But if I have to, I will," Cas steeled himself for a confrontation.

Back there at Bartholomew's base, it was the first time that Cas fought in Sam's body and he felt strong, powerful. Maybe it was because this body is well conditioned to fights that it moved so swiftly and smoothly. Maybe it was just that it is a strong vessel. Maybe both. Whatever the reason, it made Cas confident that he will win a one-to-one fight against the angel standing behind him.

"I didn't come to fight. When I fell, I thought I had no choice, but yesterday, you've showed me that there is a choice. And I choose you," the angel said, to Cas's surprise.

"I'm sorry. I'm no leader," he replied almost immediately.

"Yes, you are. If you will have me, Castiel, I will follow you. And I am not the only one," he said, as more angels walk out to join them.

Cas (and Sam) widens his eyes in awe as the handful of angels look upon him with hope and respect.

* * *

 **Finally done with all the group presentations and it felt as if I'm done for the semester – '** _ **as if'**_ **is the key word here because there're still finals left ›‹ Haven't start on the next chapter yet but Dean will be back in the story~ Also, I'm still considering whether to round up Cas and Sam's conversation before the angel interrupted them, or to leave it as it is, hmm...**

 **It's kinda funny how Sam told Cas that he is like a brother to him while he has currently "disowned" Dean for the time being… Guess it's a good thing that Dean didn't hear that part of their conversation, tho it'll be interesting to see his reaction~XD**

 **(!Season14 spoilers!)** **Somehow this chapter reminds me a lot about how Sam has become the leader of the AU ppl~ Sam and Cas are pretty similar in this aspect. Both did not recruit their followers like Bartholomew did. Instead, ppl (angels) were attracted to them and chose them to lead because they have the leadership attributes and they trust them to be good, genuine leaders - which they are~**


	29. Before The End

**Summary: Story 29: Before The End - Tag: ep14x11 "Damaged Goods", Angst! SpoilerWarning! Continuing from where the last episode ends… Words: 740**

 **This story has made references to the last few episodes of Season 4, especially ep4x22 "Swan Song" and also ep10x23 "Brother's Keeper".**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Before The End

 _Bunker's Kitchen_

Background: Upon returning to the bunker, Sam told Cas about Dean's plan with the Ma'lak box.

"This is suicide.. it's worse than suicide! Sam…" Cas exclaimed after listening to the plan.

"I know," Sam said in a soft voice that leaked of pain and forced calm.

"We have to stop him. We will find another way. There has to be another way… Sam?" Cas stopped when Sam doesn't seem to be following him.

"I don't know… if I'll try to stop him," Sam said to a stunned angel.

"What?… Sam, you're the only person that even has a chance to talk him out of this insane plan! We are talking about saving Dean from perpetual torment…."

"Cas, remember when… remember when Lucifer was gonna fight our-world Michael and start the apocalypse? I said 'yes' so that I can jump into the cage, taking him with me," Sam began and Cas nodded quietly, wanting to hear where he is going with this.

"I meant to say - I know what it's like, to be the only thing between that and the end of the world. I know back then for Dean… it killed him to see me go through all that but he knew I was the only one who could end it and I had to cause it was the right thing to do. And Dean… he was there for me - till the very end…" There was a pause at this point as both Cas and Sam remembered those moments at Stull Cemetery.

"I did want to talk him out of it, and maybe I could, but… I understand. If this is the only way… If this is the right thing to do for this world… Dean wants to do this, Cas. To save the world…"

It is one man against 7 billion. For all their lives they have been fighting monsters to save people and now when the stake is at its highest, how could they not choose humanity over themselves? Sam tightened his jaws as his heart is torn with despair. This must be how Dean felt the last time around, Sam thought.

"Cas, I don't know… What should I do?" Sam fixes Cas with a teary gaze that speaks of the conflict he has within.

Cas fell silent as he sees clearly now - Sam's point of view. How can he ask Dean not to do this, when he had chosen the same for himself? Yet, how can he not do anything, knowing that his brother will be subjected to Michael's wrath for the whole of eternity? Cas does not know the answer and so he stayed silent. The air in the kitchen seems to grow cold as the two freezes on the spot.

* * *

 _Dean's Room_

Dean sits on his bed, with a spread of items on his sheets. They are some of his most prized possessions and he was just sorting them out when he became distracted by the old photos among them. He stares fondly at each one of them, somehow unable to look away. There are two of the photos that especially stood out. One has Mary holding on to him and the other has Mary, he and baby Sam right outside their old house. Those were the two photos that Sam has showed him, right before he killed Death.

He has let Sam talked him out of that one. And what happened then? They set Amara free and before she left with Chuck, she killed many people and devoured many souls, like Donatello. He wouldn't let that happen again, not this time. Because this time… there is no other way. With a sweep of his hands, he gathers all the photos in a stack and put them out of sight.

"Hey, Chuck. It's me, Dean Winchester. I've prayed to you before and you've never answered. So, the other-world Michael is in my head right now and I'm gonna lock him up with him inside of me, forever - with the Ma'lak box. Look, I'm not trying to ask you to save me. If I have to do this then so be it. But… I want you to erase their memories. Mum, Cas, Jack… everyone. Especially… especially Sam. I want you erase all their memories of me like what Cas did with Lisa and Ben. That's all I ask. Please. …... Amen."

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Sooo much angst in the last episode and it's only halfway through the season!›‹ I was thinking ep14x10 was the best episode so far when it came out (Also, I totally wasn't expecting another epic cliffhanger ending right after ep14x09!) and then ep14x11 happened! Just wow~~ O.o**


	30. 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Last Request

**Summary: Story 30: 2-in-1 Brother(s) – Last Request, Sequel!** _ **[What if Sam's body is still not healed enough to survive on its own after Gadreel got cast out? Will he agree to possession by another angel if the angel is a good friend? A trusted brother? Tag: Season 9]**_ **Words: 1,479**

 **Recommend to read Story 11, 15, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27 & 28 before continuing with this one.**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

2-in-1 Brother(s) – Last Request

Sam and Cas returned to the bunker after their encounter with Bartholomew. Cas was pleasantly surprised and humbled by the angels' offer to follow him; to make him their leader, but he turned them down because he wasn't ready to lead. Similarly, Sam thought it will be helpful to have an angel army in their fight against Metatron but he also understood Cas's hesitation in taking up the leading role. Thus, he did not try to persuade him otherwise, even though he felt that Cas will make a good leader to the lost angels.

Sam has given a brief overview to Dean of what he and Cas observed of the fallen angels community but he left out on this last part since it never amounts to anything.

* * *

"What happened to "not fighting"?" Dean has asked him the moment he returned to the bunker. The bruises he had attained from Bartholomew were completely healed by Cas but Dean's eagle eye caught on to the blood stains around his collar.

"It just happened. About the angels..." Sam shrugged it off before going on to fill him in on the angels-situation, ignoring Cas's attempt to come out and apologize for being "reckless" with his body.

"Huh... At least it's one faction down for now," Dean commented after Sam finished.

"Yeah," Sam agreed and then left for his room, dropping his bag before going for a hot shower.

[Sam, Dean felt different...] Cas said in a hesitant voice as they walked along the corridors.

[Different how?] Sam asked. He hasn't noticed anything off from the brief interaction before.

[I'm not sure, it's just a feeling...] Cas finds it hard to explain the things that he has picked up with his angel senses. He wasn't completely certain himself, but he has detected something within Dean. It was subtle, yet potent... Something dark.

Sam tightened his grip on the bath towel over his shoulder at the roll of unease that he has felt second hand from Cas.

[It's probably nothing.] Sam assured while making a mental note to assess his brother again later on.

After the shower, Sam went back to the library instead of going straight to bed like he'd originally planned.

He sits himself across Dean at the same table and picked up one of the books, pretending to read while really Dean-watching. Time passed and he didn't catch anything out of the ordinary. Eventually, Dean got up from his seat, ready for bed, and Sam followed suit.

"So, what did you do while I'm out?" Sam asked conversationally as they return some of the books back to the shelves. Dean blinked at Sam's sudden interest in his alone-time activities.

"Read, drink and.. drink some more," Dean replied carelessly. Sam nodded at the very Deanish answer and turned to leave. Maybe Cas has been mistaken after all. As he is leaving, however, his hand accidentally brushes Dean's arm. Instantly, he felt an onslaught of emotions that are not his own.

"Is that all you did? Anything else?" Sam spun around untimely to confront him. His heartbeat accelerating unconsciously, having been affected by Cas.

"... What?" Dean was caught by surprise at Sam's erratic mood swings. "Yea. Nothing much," he answered.

"Oh really? Then why is Cas yelling in my head right now? Something like - [Dean, what did you do?!]" Sam quoted the angel.

"Huh, is he. I guess he's reacting to this," Dean finally pulls up his sleeve to reveal a red, tattoo-like marking on his arm.

Sam walks closer to have a better look. He does not recognise the mark, though, a sense of foreboding inside tells him that Cas probably does.

"What is that?" Sam asked.

"The Mark of Cain. Like, the Cain from Cain and Abel," Dean replied casually, as though it is nothing more than a scar on his skin.

"Why would you have that on your arm?" Sam asked, for both Cas and himself.

"A means to an end. This'll make me strong enough to kill Abaddon. Well... this and the first blade that's sitting at the bottom of the ocean. Crowley's on that," Dean informed him.

"Crowley. You've been working with Crowley? The King of Hell?" Sam said in an accusatory tone.

"He wants Abaddon dead as much as we do. You know - enemy of my enemy that kind of stuff," Dean said unapologetically.

"What's the price? For the Mark?" Sam asked because there's always a price.

"You get a permanent red tattoo that's not in the shape of Carmelita's lips. I don't know. If it ends Abaddon, that's good enough for me," Dean said.

"And you didn't think to tell me if I haven't ask?" Sam said a little madly.

"I didn't think you'd care," Dean replied swiftly with a raised eyebrow that translates to the follow-up question - "Did you?".

Sam presses his lips together for a brief moment before replying in a more levelled voice.

"If it's about killing Abaddon, Gadreel, or Metatron then yes, I do care. Anything else I should know?" Sam wondered.

"That's it. Just waiting on Crowley for the Blade," Dean said with a slightly crestfallen expression at Sam's response that he'd mostly disguised with nonchalance.

"Ok," Sam acknowledged and gave one more look at the Mark before leaving.

[Cas, what do you know about the Mark of Cain?] Sam asked as soon as he turned.

[Not much. I know it's old. Very old...] Cas started saying.

[Tell me everything.] Sam flipped on his laptop the minute he entered his room and entered three words into the search bar - 'Mark of Cain'.

As it transpired, the internet is even less informative than Cas. Thus, Sam looked to the Men of Letters' library the next day while keeping a subtle, watchful eye on Dean. The older Winchester is much like his usual self, drinking too much and resting too little.

He was just pulling out another one of the library books when the lights above him flickered. He looked up suspiciously, his hunter senses tingling. The flickering stopped, but a moment later, the air turns cold around him and his breath condenses into a visible mist when he exhales. He spun around just in time to see a ghostly figure rushing towards him. Before he could do anything more than flinching back in shock, a gunshot blasted, hitting through the ghost, which disappeared in an instant.

"So..." Sam said.

"Yup, bunker's hunted," Dean spoke as though commenting on the weather before lowering his rock-salt gun.

The ghost that's haunting the bunker turns out to be Kevin, whom the guys are both pleased and sad to see. As per the young prophet's dying... dead request, Sam, Dean and Cas went in search for his mother through his ghost-contact, Candy. They eventually found her, guarded by one of Crowley's ''intern''. It was a heartening thing, to see Mrs Tran finally reuniting with his son, albeit as a ghost.

And then there was that parting line from Kevin to the boys - "Can you two... Get over it? Dudes, just 'cause you couldn't see me doesn't mean I couldn't see you. The drama, the fighting... It's stupid. My mom's taking home a ghost. You two... You're both still here."

"Of course. Promise," Sam said after a split moment of silence.

"Yeah," Dean then said, having waited for Sam to speak first.

"Good," Kevin replied before walking up the stairs and out the front door with Mrs Tran as Dean watches them go.

"Well, that was..." he began after the door swings shut, but Sam has already left the room. "Yeah, okay," his face fell as he went and return to his own room. Of course. Sam has just said that to ease Kevin's mind. It was stupid of him to get his hopes up. So stupid. Settling down onto the bed, he clamps his headphone over his ears and let the music drown out his thoughts.

* * *

Sam lays his hand on the doorknob and pauses.

[Kevin has a point. We should be united against the outside threats at a time like this, not fight among ourselves...] Cas was saying softly in his head.

Sam lets out a brief sigh and then pushes the door in. It seems so easy for others to tell them to "get over it" like this is just another silly banter between brothers.

But it is not.

This is about trust, about respect, about Sam's autonomy over his own body, his own life. This is about Dean - crossing the line in the name of family, of brotherhood and never looking back. This is about Sam - who had just enough of it.

There are still lots to do and for that, they will stick together, but in the meantime, there's no getting over it, and Sam will make sure of that.

* * *

 **Writer's Random Rants: Season 14 is on a roll! All the recent episodes are so so good it'll probably be longer than this story if I were to write down everything that I like about them~XD 300 episodes and on and I'm still loving every second of it!^^**


	31. What's The Point?

**Summary: Story 31: What's The Point? - SpoilerWarning! Drabble!** _**What's the point of being the most powerful being on earth if you can't even stay with those that you love?**_ **Tag: ep14x14 "Ouroboros", Taking place after the end of the last episode, Jack revisited the conversation that he has had with Cas and has some extra thoughts about it. Words: 341**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

What's The Point?

Michael is dead. After all the fights, all the wars, from the Apocalypse World to here, Michael is finally dead. And it was Jack who killed him.

Jack stares into blank space as he sits alone in his room, silent and still. He should be elated, having eliminated their greatest, most dangerous enemy but truth is, he just feels kind of numb. Maybe he's still light-headed, trying to let the fact sink in, or maybe.. he just can't _feel_ anymore…

However, his soul isn't the number one thing on his mind right now. Pushing Michael aside, there is something else that's weighing on him – that talk with Castiel.

 _Cas: "Humans burn bright, but for a very brief time compared to, you know, things like us… we have to carry on… it will hurt but that hurt will remind you of how much you loved them… We just have to remember to appreciate the time that we all have together now…"_

Those were Cas's answers to him when he was upset over Dean's coma.

But he didn't like the answers.

What's the point of being the most powerful being on earth if you can't even stay with those that you love? Wouldn't that be like getting trapped in a Ma'lak box - just that for Jack the Ma'lak box is now the entire universe(s)? Why does losing people have to be a _"part of growing up"_? Why does he have to hurt?

Castiel, as an angel, may last longer than humans but then Jack remembered the deal that he made with the Shadow, which means that eventually, he will be gone too, maybe even sooner than Sam and Dean. And a world without Sam, Dean and Cas… Jack lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching and crumpling the sheets beneath him. A world without them would be meaningless.

When Jack opens his eyes again, it glows a dazzling gold that is filled with purpose and determination. He's got work to do.

~ The End ~

* * *

 **Jack is on a mission! Or well I just gave him one…X] Didn't feel like doing any work right after all my midterms so ended up writing this little fic~ Had this drabble idea yesterday and actually finished it on the same day which is quite a feat considering my snail pace writing XP**

 **Back to this story - There are ways that we've seen on the show that can extend human lives but those typically don't end well or require methods that the boys definitely won't approve of, not to mention messing with Fate and getting Billy involved. One way that I think Jack can attempt is to take over heaven and hell (this lowkey sounds like a possible season plot to me XD) so that he can be with them no matter where they are after their death.  
** **Castiel's case will be trickier since it involves the crazy cosmic entity from the Empty (that will probably be addressed in the show sometime in the future so we'll see how that goes~)**

 **I didn't dig into the issue of Jack's soul in this story but as written above, he is still very attached to Sam, Dean and Cas – whether it is due to love or possessiveness I imagine it depends on how much soul he's left and how that affects him~ Looking forward to episode 14x15 to find out more! :)**


	32. Bitch & Jerk - The Origin

**Summary: Story 32: Bitch & Jerk-The Origin – Drabble! Fluff! Teen/Weechester!** **The title explains it all~!** **Words: 532**

 **Writer's Random Rant: I wasn't even aware of the Supernatural fandom until 3-4 years ago (even tho I've known Spn for super long - yes, I've been living under a rock…) and only created a Twitter account a year after. I'll follow Spn news and updates even though I am not active on any social media sites myself. Honestly, I don't always like/agree with what I see (some posts are pretty cringe-worthy and some kinda infuriating›‹), not surprising tho because - "social media"… :P But this time, almost all of the comments that I've read are filled with love and support and I'm really pleased and proud to see the fandom being so appreciative and supportive despite all the tears and heartaches after the news~ #SpnFamForever~ ‹3**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Bitch & Jerk - The Origin

 _1993, Motel room_

"Dean, let's go to the library, I'm out of books to read," said Sam.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you just go with _Sully_?" The older boy said in a drawl as he lazes in bed, flipping through a magazine.

Little Sam glared at his jerk-of-a-brother.

"I told you, I don't see him anymore!" He exclaimed in annoyance.

"About time too. Only babies have imaginary friends," Dean threw him a mocking smirk before returning his attention to the publication.

"I'm not baby, you're baby!" Sam retaliated indignantly.

"Whatever. Stupid," Dean replied.

"You're stupid!" Sam returned.

And then the childish name-calling accelerates.

Dean: "Poop-face!"

Sam: "Poop-face!"

Dean: "Nerd!"

Sam: "Nerd!"

Dean: "Dumb-ass!"

Sam: "Dumb-ass!"

… …

"Bitch!" Dean called out next.

"B-" Just as Sam was about to retaliate, the room door swings open and in walks Dad, reading a newspaper under his nose as he drops his duffle bag on the bed.

Sam paused in hesitation. John is strict about a lot of things with his boys but Language isn't one of them (as long as it's not directed at him). Being on the road and living in cheap motels for most of their childhood, exposure to coarse language is inevitable. In fact, Dean has picked up most of his colourful phrases from the old man himself. Thus, Sam figured he would probably, at most, get a disapproving look from Dad for mouthing off to Dean.

"B- B-.. Jerk!" He spurted out in the end. As he has said so himself, Sam is not a baby anymore. But yet, he is, nevertheless, the baby of the family. And the use of a "grown-up word" in the presence of an adult is apparently still too much to bear for the well-mannered 10-year-old.

The boys stared at each other for a stunned moment before bursting into an uncontrollable, hysterical laughter. They laugh so hard that Sam has doubled over, holding on to the bed frame for support while Dean rolls maniacally back and forth across the mattress.

Just a few steps away, John has been very much distracted from his paper and is now watching his boys guffawing with tears in their eyes as he stands there in absolute confusion. He did not understand at all what was so funny to call, and be called - a jerk. However, his perplexity at the situation only seems to make them laugh harder than ever before.

"Alright, boys, what's so funny?" He asked curiously but neither of them is coherent enough to answer. Despite not knowing the backstory, their exuberant display of joy and glee brought an amused smile to his lips.

* * *

In the end, John never really gotten the answer to his query as Sam and Dean have dismissed the whole thing off as some kind of a silly joke. Since then, John has heard numerous times when the boys called each other "Bitch" and "Jerk". Though, he never knew about the major role that he has played in birthing that crass yet affectionate exchange as the brothers have kept the real story to themselves.

And now we know the story too ;)

~ The End~

* * *

 **We've known about the "Bitch" and "Jerk" exchange since the very first episode and I have always enjoyed those cute sibling-banter between them, thus, this short, fluffy "origin story" is born~**

 **(!Season 14 Spoilers!)**

 **Writer's Random Rant: The "Peace of Mind 14x15" episode is so hilarious and such a nice change of pace after all the angst that happened in the last few episodes – I've watched Justin!Sam so many times and he still gets me every time! X'D I've also just finished ep14x17 "Game Night" and it seems like Jack has really lost all of his soul… O.O Promo for next ep looks intense as well with the Nick and Jack combo and some serious conflict between the guys! It looks to me like Nick will be pulling Jack over to the dark side… *gasps!* ›‹**


	33. Happily Ever Angel

**Summary: Story 33:** **Happily Ever Angel** **– A happy ending where they stay together forever~:)** **Drabble! SpoilerWarningEp14x19!** **Words: 70**

 **Happily Ever Angel is inspired by Episode 14x19 "Jack In The Box"**

 **Rated: K+**

* * *

Happily Ever Angel

Jack presses his fingers gently against their temples and a piercing blue shine through their pupils, reflecting the change within.

"Ok. It's done," Jack smiled brightly as he lowers his arms.

The two new angels smiled back at him while a third, seasoned angel claps his shoulder for a job well done.

Angel-up Team Free Will 2.0. Sometimes good things do last forevermore.

~ The End ~

* * *

My shortest entry till date~ Had this idea after finding out about Jack's ability to create angels out of humans in ep14x19! (That episode has had me so on edge for the entire 40 minutes! XD) Another similar drabble idea was Jack turning Sam and Dean angels to save Cas from the Empty, but I'm not gonna write that one down so just throwing it out here~


End file.
